Dishes of skipjack tuna can be found all over the world. This large marine fish is highly valued for its elastic meat, small amount of bones and a lot of useful substances that it contains. Its taste does not give off the ocean at all, and, in general, bears little resemblance to fish. How to cook tuna to keep all its best qualities? How not to make a mistake with his choice in the store? We have prepared all the information about this fish for you in our article.
Stripe Tuna Description
All tunas belong to the mackerel family, but they stand out from its other representatives in exceptionally large sizes. Some of them reach up to 3-5 meters, and can weigh up to 600 kilograms.
Skippy tuna tend to be smaller. They grow only up to 1-1.5 meters in length, and their body weight reaches 30 kg. They prefer warm waters and are not found in the Arctic Ocean. They can inhabit temperate latitudes, but always breedsail to the shores of tropical countries.
Tuna live in numerous groups that stay close to the surface and move quickly in the water column, reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h. Up to 50,000 fish can gather in one flock.
As you can see in the photo, skipjack tuna have a spindle-shaped body, rounded and thick on the sides. The back is painted in deep dark blue, and longitudinal stripes are clearly distinguished on the light silvery abdomen. Thanks to them, the fish got its name.
Benefits and harms of skipjack tuna
Tuna is a low-calorie, but quite satisfying food. Due to its mobility, its meat contains more protein than any other fish. It is also rich in essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which our body cannot synthesize and can only obtain from external sources.
Tuna meat contains iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, making it considered a necessary product for the brain and cardiovascular system. It is also rich in vitamin D, B3, A, B1, B12, B4, E. All these components contribute to the restoration of the body, the normal implementation of metabolism and other important processes in our body. Regular consumption of tuna can:
- Reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels;
- Reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease;
- Regulate blood pressure;
- Strengthen the immune system;
- Reduce depression or stress.
Benefitskipjack tuna is obvious, but like any other product, it also has negative sides. One of the main disadvantages of this fish is the ability to accumulate mercury. In small quantities, tuna is not harmful to the body, but if consumed in excess, it can become a dangerous product. It should be consumed no more than twice a week, and when buying in the market or in a store, you should carefully look at where it came from. In some areas of the ocean, the mercury content is very high, and fish from there can cause poisoning.
How to choose?
You don't have to be a professional cook to cook delicious skipjack tuna, the main thing is to choose a fresh and high-quality product. To do this, you need to pay attention to several points:
- General view. On the counter, the fish should look like it was just caught. Painful appearance, wounds, injuries on the body or too “rumpled” torso indicate that the storage technology has been violated.
- Smell. The tuna should have a light scent of the sea, no pungent fishy smell if stored properly.
- Streaks. In fresh fish, they are clearly visible and painted white. If the veins merge with the color of the meat, then most likely it has been tinted. This product cannot be trusted.
- Fins. They have smooth lines, do not twist or stick together. Check them for damage and creases.
- Scales. In tuna, it is present only near the pectoral fin, but this is enough to diagnose the freshness of the fish. The scales should be even and shiny, bad when on itcreases or mucus are present.
- Belly. In live fish, the belly is silvery, which means that in fresh it should be the same. Yellowness indicates otherwise.
Meat
The skipjack tuna is an active and fast fish, so its body is very elastic and muscular. The color and texture of its meat is more reminiscent of domestic animals, which is why the fish was even nicknamed "sea veal".
Tuna color is one of the characteristic markers of freshness, but there are many nuances. Unlike salmon or salmon, its meat does not have a uniform even shade, but differs depending on the specific area of \u200b\u200bthe body. So, in the front of the abdomen it will be light pink and more loose, and on the back it will be bright red and more sinewy.
In general, the color of freshly cut tuna has a purple-red palette. Over time, the color becomes burgundy or brownish. This is exactly how the fish in the store should be, if it was not caught right before your arrival.
Too bright crimson color of tuna indicates that the meat was processed with carbon dioxide. This is a good marketing ploy to make the fish more attractive. Carbon dioxide prevents it from darkening, and it retains its presentation for a long time. However, this is where the danger lies, because it is much more difficult to check such fish for freshness. In many countries of Europe and America, the processing of CO products 2 is prohibited, but there is no ban in Asian countries, and "raspberry" tuna often comes to us from there.
Cooking tuna
Tuna is very versatile in cooking. In the cuisines of some nations, it is often consumed raw, preserving as many useful substances as possible. For example, in Japan they make sushi, sashimi and rolls from it, and in Italy they prepare the carpaccio dish. In addition, fish can be fried, boiled, baked, added to salads and soups, used for snacks, sandwiches and pates. Let's take a look at some skipjack tuna recipes.
Tuna salad
The main feature of this fish is that it does not lose its useful properties during canning. That is why canned tuna is great for any dish. To prepare a salad, you need to take:
- canned tuna in its own juice - 200 g;
- tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
- lettuce - 100g;
- black olives - 10 pcs. (more possible);
- sesame -10-20g;
- lemon juice - 1-2 tbsp. l.;
- soy sauce - 1 tbsp. l.;
- s alt - to taste;
- ground black pepper - to taste.
Tomatoes and olives cut into pieces, add pieces of fish to them. If they are too large, mash them with a fork. Chop the lettuce or tear it into pieces with your hands, fry the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until it starts to brown. Combine all ingredients, season with s alt and pepper, then top with lemon and soy sauce.
Fish steak
Tuna steak is one of the most popular restaurant dishes. Forits preparation will need:
- tuna fillet or pieces already cut into steaks;
- olive oil - 1-2 tbsp. l.;
- s alt - to taste;
- ground black pepper - to taste;
- rosemary.
If you have a whole tuna fillet, cut it into steaks, making the pieces not too thin. The ideal thickness is 2-3 centimeters. Before cooking, be sure to dip the meat with a napkin so that it is not wet. Then coat it with oil, s alt, pepper, sprinkle with chopped rosemary or other seasonings. Preheat the pan and fry the fish on it on both sides, holding on each of them for no more than two minutes.
The edges of the steak will be fried, but the middle should remain raw. Otherwise, the fish will be too tough and completely juicy. After frying, let the dish "rest" for about 10 minutes.
Croquettes
This skipjack tuna dish is not very dietary and will require a lot of oil. For him you will need:
- canned tuna;
- potatoes - 1 pc.;
- butter - 1 tbsp. l.;
- white onion - 1 pc. (small size);
- garlic - 1 clove;
- breadcrumbs - 1.5 cups;
- greens;
- s alt - to taste;
- pepper - to taste;
- oil for frying.
First, boil the potatoes and mash them with a fork, then mix them with s alt, pepper and a tablespoon of oil. Add fish pieces, herbs and squeezed garlic to it. Add alsobreadcrumbs, but not all - some of them will leave later. Mix everything well, and form oval or round croquettes from the mixture. Roll them in breadcrumbs and fry in oil in a pan.
Put the finished dish first on a napkin or dry towel so that they absorb a little oil. Then serve with a side dish of roasted vegetables or some salad.
