Smoked Tuna on a Pit Boss

Are you tired of the same old grilled chicken and burgers?

Why not change things up and try smoking your own tuna?

Not only is it a tasty and healthy alternative, but it’s also super easy to do at home.

However they are quite a few steps to smoking tuna, so make sure you follow along my simple steps below! 

Why You’ll Love This Smoked Tuna Recipe

While this tuna recipe is fairly simple, it has complex flavors. I love how juicy and tender the tuna stays but you still get that deep smoky flavor. Another thing I love is how tuna has that meaty texture like steak, so its a good alternative if you don’t feel like red meat.

What Temperature to Smoke Tuna on a Pit Boss

For this recipe, we will cook the tuna at 180°F.

Near the end of the cooking time, we will increase the pellet grill’s temperature to 225°F.

This temperature change positively impacts the smoking process.

The temperature change causes a delectable flaky texture in the tuna fillet.

Both temperatures will properly cook the tuna. The main difference will be the texture of the finished product.

How Long to Smoke Tuna

You need to smoke tuna for around 3.5-4 hours.

However the smoking time is determined by the thickness of the fish and smoker’s temperature.

The hotter the cooking temp, the quicker the smoking time. Lower temps result in longer cook times.

The important thing is that the fresh tuna reaches an internal temperature of 125°F degrees.

This is a safe temperature for tuna fish.

What You’ll Need to Cook Smoked Tuna

Tuna fillets 

Kosher salt

Brown sugar

Orange

Lemon

Basting sauce

Sesame oil

Hot sauce (use your favorite one, mine is Byron Bay Mango Chili)

Ziploc bag

Wire rack

Baking tray 

Wood Chips

What to Serve With Smoked Tuna

Smoked tuna pairs well with light side dishes. Some possibilities are:

Whole Smoked Cabbage

Smoked Sweet Potatoes

Cucumber Salad

Lemon Roasted Potatoes

How to Store Tuna Leftovers

Cool the tuna and place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate it for up to a week.

If you place the tuna in a freezer-proof bag, you can store it in the freezer for about a month.

How to Reheat Tuna Leftovers

Reheat leftover tuna in the microwave, air fryer, or oven.

You can even shred the tuna and make a cold tuna salad.

This delicious tuna recipe is perfect for beginners!

The smokey flavor and complex taste profile will impress everyone.

Even if you’ve been smoking meat for decades, your guests will be impressed with this meal!

Next time you want to use your pellet smoker, we recommend this recipe.

It’s the perfect main course for a light meal in the heat of summer!

Best Wood Chips for Smoked Tuna

Since tuna has such a delicate flavor, we recommend mild wood chips.

Apple wood chips and cherry wood chips are the best for this recipe!

You can use any fruit wood chips or other mild flavors. The aromatic flavors should complement the seasoned tuna steaks.

If you use a strong flavor, you might find that it was a good choice.

You may also realize the smokey flavor was too strong for the fish.

Subtle flavors are best to control the depth of flavor in this already complex recipe.

Ingredients for Smoked Tuna

8 tuna fillets (about 2 lbs)

Cure:

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 cup brown sugar

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lemon

Basting sauce:

3 tbsp Sesame oil

2 tbsp Hot sauce

Recipe for Smoked Tuna

Step 1: Prepare the Cure

Mix the cure ingredients in a Ziplock bag. Add the tuna fillets.

Step 2: Cure the Tuna

Massage the tuna.

Refrigerate for 6 hours.

Remove the tuna fillets from the bag and thoroughly rinse them under cool water. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Step 3: Finish the Tuna Fillets

Place the fillets on a greased wire rack over a baking sheet.

Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.

Step 4: Get the Smoker Ready

Heat the pellet grill to 180°F for 15 minutes. Keep the lid closed.

Step 5: Smoke the Tuna

Place the tuna fillets directly on the grill grates.

Cook with the lid closed for 3 hours. Baste every 30 minutes.

Step 6: Finish the Tune

Increase the cooking temperature to 225°F. Cook for about 30-60 more minutes.

The fish should be light brown and easily flake when nudged with a fork.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Remove the fish from the grill and serve.

Smoked Tuna Tips

Fresh ingredients are best. You’ll want to use fresh fish and fresh lemon juice if possible.

If you have tuna steaks, you can still follow this recipe. While tuna steaks are a different cut, they still have the same flavor!

Even the perfect tuna steak may not be as flaky as tuna fillets, but the result will still be delectable.

When smoking fish, it is good practice to avoid using direct heat. Indirect heat is the best method of cooking in a smoker.

You can use any type of tuna for this recipe.

Whether you prefer albacore tuna or mackerel tuna, the meat will work well for this recipe.

You may want to spritz lime juice over the fish before you serve it.

Smoked tuna will pair well with your favorite white wine. Both of those flavors will bring out the best of the tuna.

Smoke On!

Charlie

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