How to Smoke Tuna Steaks
How to Smoke Tuna Steaks
Why settle for canned, commercial tuna when you can make homemade smoked tuna in a snap? Smoking tuna at home is a breeze. This no-fuss fish just needs a quick brine, a little seasoning, and about an hour in the smoker for perfectly smoked tuna. Enjoy it simply on its own, or transform tasty tuna into a smoked tuna dip.
Directions
1
Create a simple brine out of warm water and salt. Let tuna brine in the fridge overnight to have extra-moist tuna steaks. Be sure to gingerly rinse the steaks before smoking to remove any excess clumps of salt.
Hot Tip
When choosing your tuna, we suggest using yellowfin tuna, a hearty variety that’s perfect for tuna steaks cooked on the grill or smoker.
2
Pat tuna steaks dry and lightly brush with low-sodium soy sauce. The seasoning of the soy sauce is a great complement to the natural flavor of the tuna, adding a subtle, salty bite to the smoked fillets.
3
Because tuna is a stronger-fleshed fish, it can hold up at a hotter temperature. Set the smoked to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and add wood chips. We suggest using a smoking wood of mild flavor, like apple or cherry, to best flavor the tuna.
4
Cook for about one hour. To ensure that tuna smokes evenly on all sides, roast steaks on an elevated surface, like a rack placed in a dish pan, or flip steaks once during cooking. Fillets should be a light brown color and should easily flake apart.