Tuna Bellies what should I do with them

[Captain PartyMarty]

I have about 100 Pieces for Tuna Belly all are about 1/2" thick by 2"wide, by 3-4in long.

When I cut them I was planning on smoking the bellies, but I don't know how. Does anybody have a recipe?

 

[tubber]

keep some for hali bait.

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

Tuna bellies are the part of the Tuna that the Japanese like the best and it sells for more than regular lean tuna. It's called Toro in Japanese.. "fatty tuna" Personally I love it and keep it for sushi/sashimi. Tuna when smoked dries out very fast even the fatty parts. It will render out to be hard as a rock if left too long. I cold smoke and hot smoke it. When hot smoked you need to watch it real carefully and pull it off the heat way sooner than you think. It will continue to firm up/dry out as it cools too. It will absorb a wet brine pretty well as long as there is enough sugar/salt in it so that it absorbs it well. This will help it not dry out as fast when hot smoked.

If all else fails the tuna belly is one of the best baits I have every used for crab, prawn, ling cod, halibut etc.. cause of it's high oil/scent trail it produces. I don't use the good parts just the scrap cuttings. Vacuum pack it and use it for bait on it's own or mixed with other stuff.

 

[wolf]

MMMMMMM Toro its the best part of the tuna for sushi.... Id love to have some...

 

[Whole in the Water]

Make some Tuna Tataki - that's what their best for IMHO.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tuna-tataki-recipe-1940352

 

[Pippen]

keep some for hali bait.

I just came very close to clicking to report this post.

You don't leave the marina well before light, run 60 miles potentially each way not to mention all the miles when out there to catch amazing eating fish and use arguably the best part for hali-bait.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

Anybody have a brine recipe?

 

[wolf]

It all depends on what ya want I guess my basic recipe is 4 cups brown 1 demeria 1 coarse salt ...mix it all up and coat fish let it still in fridge depending on thickness the times for a 25 lb spring i do 48 hours as i want that sweetness. if bellies are only 1/2 thick or less id say 12 at most. and smoke it on low like 90 to 100 only..

 

[dradons]

Just eat it......I am going to cry. Toro is the best part.

 

[Derby]

MMMMMMM Toro its the best part of the tuna for sushi.... Id love to have some...

Is there a basic dipping sauce for toro or lihgtly salted and straight up? we did up all are tuna bellies this year for toro.

 

[Pippen]

Is there a basic dipping sauce for toro or lihgtly salted and straight up? we did up all are tuna bellies this year for toro.

You could just use a ponzu sauce, many readily bought at the local market. I don't like straight soya sauce as I find it too salty, so I also buy the low sodium but ponzu is pretty light and doesn't mask the flavor of the flesh.

 

[Chasin' Dreams]

You could just use a ponzu sauce, many readily bought at the local market. I don't like straight soya sauce as I find it too salty, so I also buy the low sodium but ponzu is pretty light and doesn't mask the flavor of the flesh.

Is there a basic dipping sauce for toro or lihgtly salted and straight up? we did up all are tuna bellies this year for toro.

High fat tuna belly should melt in your mouth. I like it best just laid over steamed sushi rice and dipped in a high quality sushi/sashimi soy sauce with a bit of wasabi. There are literally thousands of brands, types, of soy sauce. Most are very salty but ones specially for sushi/sashimi are not strong or very salty. You can find them in stores labelled specifically as sushi/sashimi soy sauces. You want a more sweet/lighter soy for sushi/sashimi. We go through a lot of it and I've tried so many imported specialty ones and for a go to all around good one for home use sushi sashimi I buy either Kimlan or Yamasa. There is also a Kikkoman sushi/sashimi specific soy that is pretty good as well. These are the manufacturers of a lot of the packets of soy you see in the sushi restaurants as well. T&T supermarket has a pretty good selection of soy's both for the North American market and imported ones manufactured overseas. https://www.malafood.com/en/the-complete-guide-to-soy-suaces

 

[Derby]

Thank u guys..was thinking a long thoses lines ..looking forward to giving it a go..

 

[Samnjoe]

We smoke all of our bellies.
Basic salmon brine overnight.
I smoke about 5 hours on my Treager.
After 1 hour peel the inner membranes off so they will dry out a bit.
Super oily....just like candy.
If you have cut them right they should be about 10" long by 5" wide.
Skin on one side.

 

[wolf]

Is there a basic dipping sauce for toro or lihgtly salted and straight up? we did up all are tuna bellies this year for toro.

This is what I use my buddy who got me making my own tataki said this is the best and I agree not salty at all I know our fairways here in langford stock it As to cooking them I was told very strict instructions LOL by him so i like to BBQ it as it gives it a touch of that smoke flavor so what you do is sear on all sides no mre then 30 seconds pers side then have a bowl of ice water beside you and as soon as done you want it right into the cold bath as then it cools VERY fast next wrap tight in cling film and put in fridge best thing is you can do this day before..

should turn out like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Derby]

nicely done

 

[Birdsnest]

Ive been bbq'ing tuna belies marinated in soy sauce, lime garlic ginger and sesame oil. Right up there with black cod.

Break this brine recipe down for smaller portions:

5 gallons water
8 cups salt
8 cups sugar

soak for one hour (however for black cod and tuna bellies I go 1 hour 15 mins)

 

[Birdsnest]

We smoke all of our bellies.
Basic salmon brine overnight.
I smoke about 5 hours on my Treager.
After 1 hour peel the inner membranes off so they will dry out a bit.
Super oily....just like candy.
If you have cut them right they should be about 10" long by 5" wide.
Skin on one side.

I take the skin off and use the belly wall to hold it together.

 

[fish4all]

Blast freeze them below -40 To kill any bacteria and save for toro. Tuna poke is also Awesome.


Tuna poke Recipe

4 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp sesame oil
1 medium green onion
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Dash of white pepper

mix it all together. Cut fish in 1/4-1/2” cubes. Marinate minimum 4 hours. I put the cilantro in after it’s marinated.

You can mix in mango and avocado as well just before serving.

 

[CBsqrd]

Bought a couple small tuna last year and aved the bellies for smoking. Used the regular brown sugar/salt brine that @wolf mentions above, but added a can of pineapple juice to the brine. Put in the smoker with the batch of salmon I was doing at the time, but removed it sooner. Turned our really good!