Tuna meat quality question...

[carom]

I’ve heard/read somewhere that sushi restaurants are hitting the docks looking to buy fresh tuna, not rare I say. However, what I’ve also heard/read is that some of these guys are paying very high amounts of money per pound of meat. Something in the range of may be 100USD or more per pound based on meat quality. Which leads then to my question. How do you judge meat quality of tuna???, moreover, can it be so “good” to pay what they’re paying for it??

[Tunaman40]

I am by no means a expert on this topic, but I have worked for boats that sold tuna to the Japanese markets. The "tuna techs" as I called them would always look for the following: fat content (marbling), oil content, color (a nice red color), temperature and general condition of the meat (no gaff marks or bruises). I am quite sure that there is more to it than what I have listed Hope this helps. Tight lines

[carom]

What was the highest price you saw???... I was having this discussion with a couple of friends the other day and I told them I would post up here to get the anwers and keep up the discussion subject..

[hotrodmarlin]

$100/lb? Tell them to come wait on my dock in Dec- I'll send you the adress
Most what I've seen/sold in NC is between $7 - $20 /lb. I've heard of guys getting more. I don't know near as much as some of the guys on the site though.

[cape_fisherman]

At $100/#...PLUS the fact that restaurants are purchasing I can only guess that they are paying for loined out fish...no head or carcass. I know in NC the Health Department frowns on us cleaning fish in-house.

Still, that's alot of $$$

Jay

[carom]

$100/lb? Tell them to come wait on my dock in Dec- I'll send you the adress
Most what I've seen/sold in NC is between $7 - $20 /lb. I've heard of guys getting more. I don't know near as much as some of the guys on the site though.

told you, check this out...has a recipe too

http://www.paramuspost.com/article.p...70504173127888

[lazyfatass247]

Tunaman40 has it down. Do a google search. On tuna preparation. Use a chartper when you bring the fish a board to help keep the meat and skin intact. Google.com is the best. There is a handbook, French or Japense on proper preparation.

[Tunaman40]

The most I was ever paid was $18.00 a lb. That was back in the early 80's Green Harbor MA. At that time we were selling to Tri-Coastal Seafood.

[carom]

did you guys read the article. found it on google also... by the way 18USD in the 80's is like 50 now days.

go figure!

[vinnie myers]

From what I understand of tuna meat rapid chilling once on deck is vital to the meat being graded higher. Surface temps and length of fight also affect the meats quality.

Like it was stated before Bright red meat with good marbling (fat content)and some level of transparency is best.

BTS or burnt tuna syndrome (brownish/ tan meat) comes from the build up of lactic acid in the meat which is cause by several factors including longer fighting time, poor handling after the fish dies. The rainbow sheen you see in the meat is a sign of the presence of lactic acid. The sashimi grade tuna (#1 Grade) will not have any of these signs.

To reduce BTS the fish should be killed very quickly after boating ...spiking his brain reduces the time it takes for rigor-mortis to set in and also reduces burn ...bleeding out the fish further reduces the chances of meat burn...it just make a mess! and most importantly fast chilling. On large tuna it could take a full day to reduce the core temps of a tuna to the proper level. 0 degrees C.....thats my two cents.....HANA PA"A ........VVVVVV