Albacore

When Caught

Caught year round, but supply varies depending on species and area. For example, southern bluefin tuna are caught off South Australia from December to March, off Tasmania from April to June, and off New South Wales from May to September. Farmed southe

Important Features

Wild/Farmed: Wild
Habitat: Saltwater
Recovery Rate: Fillets: 70 75% from whole tuna (gilled and gutted)

Albacore Research

FRDC provides a comprehensive search of the latest research papers and images on Albacore

Remarks

Tuna for sashimi must be stunned, bled, and processed immediately on capture. Flesh characteristics differ markedly between species. Albacore is referred to as the chicken of the sea due to its white flesh when cooked.

Imports

Pacific nations such as the Solomon Islands:: tuna for canning; Sashimi-quality tuna is imported from various South Pacific islands, including New Zealand.

Alternatives

marlin (pp 14 15)

swordfish (pp 14 15)

mackerel (pp 46 47)

Atlantic salmon (pp 8 9)

Grading

Grading can vary by supplier, region and species. An example of a grading system for whole tuna is presented below.

Albacore Thunnus alalunga

Photograph by CSIRO

Nutrition Facts

per 100g of raw product

Kilojoules	521 (124 Calories)
Cholesterol	30 mg
Sodium	37 g
Total fat (oil)	0.5 g
Saturated fat	33% of total fat
Monounsaturated fat	13% of total fat
Polyunsaturated fat	54% of total fat
Omega-3, EPA	14 mg
Omega-3, DHA	100 mg
Omega-6, AA	15 mg

Data presented are for yellowfin tuna.

Cooking Ideas

Bake	Boil	Deep Fry
Grill/barbecue	Poach	Raw
Roe	Roe & Milk	Salted
Shallow Fry	Smoke	Steam/microwave

Note: Cooking Ideas identified by dark bold text are relevant to this species

Tunas have firm, thick fillets and make succulent meat substitutes. Cutlets and steaks can be cooked by grilling, barbecuing, baking, smoking, poaching or marinating. Japanese demand for sushi and sashimi has highlighted some species superb eating qualities raw.

Grilled or barbecued, tunas are best seared and left rare centrally. Highlight with intense flavours such as charred capsicum, eggplant, balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressings on a bed of bitter greens and aioli, roasted garlic, and Japanese wasabi, soy and pickled ginger. Alternatively, prepare a baked dinner of tuna, with a herbed crust to seal in the flavour and prevent it drying out.

To marinate, use lemon, garlic oil, vinegar and fresh herbs. Serve as is (the marinade will cook the tuna), or slowly braise or poach as a finishing touch, but be careful not to overcook.

Sashimi, carpaccio, or tartare blended with Atlantic salmon is ideal for tuna, married with dill, garlic, lemon and pepper. Tuna is also an excellent dish sliced thinly and briefly dropped into simmering fish stock or cooked as an Asian hot-pot to each diner s preference.

Invite guests to choose the degree to which they want their tuna cooked just as they would with a steak. Serve well done tuna with a sauce.

Flavour: Mild to Medium
Oiliness: Low to Medium, sometimes High
Moisture: Dry to Medium
Texture: Soft to firm, with beautiful coarse grain
Flesh Colour: Pink, off-white yellowish, reddish or reddish brown, with bands of very dark flesh along the sides. Colour varies with species, condition and cut; lateral cuts are darker. Generally creamy white when cooked
Thickness: Thick fillets or cutlets
Bones: Few bones
Price: Albacore: Medium-priced finfish, Bigeye, southern bluefin and yellowfin tunas: High-priced finfish southern bluefin tuna highest price, followed by bigeye tuna. Longtail tuna: Low-priced finfish

Suggested Wines

Tuna flavours are definite, and well accompanied by medium to full-flavoured white styles and some reds.

A herbaceous semillon or vegetative sauvignon blanc will be pleasant with sashimi or grilled tuna.

For Philip Johnson s yellowfin tuna recipe from e cco in Brisbane (p. 296) try a peppery shiraz or a grenache.

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