These smoked tuna steaks are downright delicious. Make no mistake, it’s the smoky flavor that does it. Ingredients like Dijon mustard, honey and scallions, and all come together to create a sweet and spicy taste that’s further accentuated by smoking the tuna steaks.
If you’re into tuna, then there’s nothing better than a perfectly cooked tuna steak. My husband and I put our heads together on this one, and came up with a tuna dish that’s overflowing with flavor.
As I point out in my web introduction, my partner in crime, Ken, does the grilling. For the most part, I do everything else. But when we purchased the smoker, Ken just took over! Suddenly it was in his job description as chief smoker! And when it comes to cooking fish of any kind, he’s always in charge. So, when he finishes smoking these tuna steaks, the results are always amazing!
Smoked Tuna
If you’re looking for a new way to incorporate tuna into your diet, try smoking it. This is one of my favorite recipes, as smoked tuna is one of the easiest things to make. There’s a lot of creative flavors that go into this dish. Serve with your favorite sides. Or enjoy it in sushi rolls. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
Ingredients
You might think the list of ingredients is long. But in reality, many of these items are probably already on your shelves or in your fridge. If not, you can easily get them at your local grocery store. Putting these ingredients together results in an abundance of flavor.
- Vegetable oil for cooking grate
- Rice vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Soy sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
- Minced fresh ginger
- Red pepper flakes
- Olive oil
- Tuna steaks
- Ground black pepper
How to Make Smoke Tuna Steaks
This is an easy recipe to follow. It only takes a few steps and a little time in the smoker, and you’re good to go!
Step 1: Mix the Vinaigrette
In a bowl, mix together the vinegar, mustard, honey, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add oil and whisk until blended. Reserve ¾ of a cup for smoking the tuna steaks and the rest for serving.
Step 2: Smoke the Tuna Steaks
Place tuna steaks in a resealable bag and marinate in the vinaigrette for about an hour; if not two. Wrap the tuna steaks loosely in foil and poke holes in the tops of the foil pouches to vent and allow the smoke to penetrate the fish. Smoke until the tuna reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees.
Step 3: Serve
After the tuna steaks are smoked, transfer them to a plate and serve immediately with the reserved vinaigrette.
Substitutions
If you don’t have the correct ingredients on hand or just to change it up, here are a couple of helpful tips that will change this smoked tuna recipe.
- Onions – If you don’t have scallions, use onions instead. Spring onions work particularly well.
- White Vinegar – If you don’t have rice vinegar, white vinegar with a pinch of sugar will do the trick.
Variations
Want to personalize this smoked tuna steaks recipe? Here’s what I did to slightly alter the recipe.
- Pan-Fried – For a different flavor, pan fry the tuna steaks. The vinaigrette will caramelize!
- Minced garlic – This will definitely change and enhance the flavor.
If you love this recipe, consider giving teriyaki baby bella mushrooms a try.
Equipment
There’s a few simple elements to make this dish happen. It’s all basic stuff.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Resealable bag
- Charcoal
- Grill
- Smoker
- Tongs
Storage
These tuna steaks will keep for about two to three days in the refrigerator or up to one month in the freezer.
Tips
Again, the instructions are easy, but to make this dish taste even better, there are a couple of things you should be aware of.
- If grilling this fish, DO NOT move it around until you’re ready to flip it over. This will keep the fish from sticking.
- Marinade the fish for a minimum of one hour and no longer than two hours when smoking it. Too little time will result in a bland flavor. Leave it too long and the fish will start to break down.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Do you like Asian flavors? Then take a peek at these recipes.
FAQ
Any questions about smoked tuna? If not, class dismissed. If yes, read on. Here are some commonly-asked questions and answers about smoked tuna steaks.
These will be good in the refrigerator for two to three days or up to a month in the freezer.
Let the tuna steaks cool completely. Then, wrap them tightly in cling wrap and place them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
Place the frozen tuna steaks in the fridge overnight to thaw.
Let the tuna steaks come to room temperature, then place them in a non-stick, medium-hot pan. Cook until heated through.
There may not have been enough oil applied to the grate. Also you might have moved the tuna before it was time to flip it.
Smoked Tuna Steaks
Ready to get cooking? Remember, you can always print this recipe if you like.
Smoked Tuna Steaks
Equipment
- smoker
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 medium green onions thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 6 8 oz tuna steaks 1 inch thick
- ground black pepper
- vegetable oil for the grate
Instructions
- Pull out and measure the ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, honey, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add oil and whisk until blended. Reserve approximately ¾ of a cup of dressing for smoking the fish and the rest for serving. Taste the dressing and adjust to suit your taste. My son loves the hot stuff and always adds more crushed red pepper flakes.
- Pour ¾ of a cup of vinaigrette into a resealable bag and marinate tuna steaks for at least an hour, if not two.
- Smoke at 200 degrees for about 90 minutes, or until tuna reaches 140 degrees. Suggest checking the temperature every 15-20 minutes)
- Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette all over the tuna steaks. Serve and enjoy every bite!
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