Smoked Tuna Steaks

These lightly Smoked Tuna Steaks are downright delicious after soaking in a simple brine and served immediately or used in a dip.

I often serve smoked food when entertaining. It’s such an easy way to impress and make everyone happy!

Smoked tuna steaks are one of the faster smoked recipes, and they’re ready in 90 minutes – it’s a well loved fish so your chances of pleasing everyone are very high.

When I make this for guests, I also whip up an Herbed Butter or Brown Butter. Fruit salsas are another excellent option.

🐟 Ingredients

Yellowfin Tuna | We used the 5oz fillets from Wild Fork. You can use the Ahi tuna as well.

Brown Sugar | This will add a little bit of sweetness to the brine.

Kosher Salt | This is the main ingredient of the brine along with the water.

Bay Leaf | This adds aromatic flavors to the brine.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Smoker | We trusted our Big Green Egg for this smoke to give us the tastiest fillets. You can smoke tuna steaks on a pellet grill like the Pit Boss, Traeger or Green Mountain or any other charcoal smoker you have.

Gallon Sized Bag | Use a bag that will hold the brine and the steaks while allowing it to close up. We suggest to put it in a bowl so if anything happens in the refrigerator, it spills into the bowl and you have less of a mess to clean up.

Wood Smoking Chunks | We used apple wood for this smoked tuna recipe. Pecan, peach, orange or any light fruity woods work fabulous with these. If you haven’t been a rock star picking our your wood choices, sneak a peak at the wood pairing guide to help.

🔥 Instructions

Brine

Step One: Combine the ingredients of the brine and mix it very well. The brown sugar and salt will dissolve.

Step Two: Place the tuna steaks in the brine and put in the refrigerator for about three hours.

Step Three: Remove the tuna from the brine and pat it dry to remove as much water as you can. You do not need to rinse the tuna but RINSE IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO SALT AT ALL.

Smoking

Step One: Set the smoker to 225°F.

Step Two: Add tuna steaks and smoke for 60-90 minutes or until the internal temperature is 135-140°F. If it gets much higher than that, it will dry out.

Step Three: Remove and serve.

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

Always use a thermometer when testing the tuna to determine if it is fully cooked. There is a lot in play with this one with the thickness of the fillet and the fluctuations of the temperature of the smoker.

Rinse the tuna after brining it if you are sensitive to salt. If you question whether you are, just rinse it off and pat it dry. It is not a salty recipe, but I don’t want anyone to ruin a recipe and have to toss it because it was too salty.

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Note: You’ll see that some smoked fish can be kept for several weeks. Those are the varieties that come prepackaged from the store and DOES NOT apply to this type of recipe.

Reheat in the microwave for 30 second intervals until hot. Don’t overcook as it will dry out quickly.

Meal Prep

• Prep the brine early.
• Take the tuna out of the freezer and let it defrost in the refrigerator ahead of time.

Additions and Substitutions

Change up the marinade and add soy sauce or apple cider vinegar.

Pineapple Salsa | Make a batch of this Caribbean salsa to go over the tuna steaks.

Avocado Corn Salsa | This tropical salsa is so yummy over almost all fish, so make a quick batch and enjoy every last bite.

Make Dips | We made this batch for the sole purpose of making a great batch of tuna dip. Pick up your favorite fish dip recipe ie: Smoked Salmon Dip or Smoked Trout Dip. If you want to make it extra smoky, whip up a quick batch of the Smoked Creamed Cheese first.

Serving Suggestions

Generally I enjoy a nice cold 3 Daughters Brewery’s Florida Orange IPA or other lightly fruit infused beer when smoking fish. It’s light and not filling for the day ahead.

When serving up a spread for guests, choose foods that are not only great to look at but ones where you aren’t expecting any leftovers. When upping your game, no doubt serve the Smoked Deviled Eggs, Beer Corn Crack Dip, Smoked Baked Brie or Grilled Bacon on a Stick.

❓ Recipe FAQ

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