What makes ahi tuna

What are the differences? Ahi is a species of tuna and is divided into two different types: yellowfin and bigeye.

The name comes from the Hawaiian word for fire and references the smoke produced from the fishing line going over the side of the boat so quickly when ahi is caught.

The species is valued for not only being a sport fish but also for its delicious flavor. In Hawaii, ahi are most abundant in the spring and summer, but they can be fished year-round. Ahi is common in poke, a signature Hawaiian dish of marinated, cubed, raw fish served over rice. The dorsal, anal and finlet fins on a yellowfin tuna are yellow, which is where it gets its name. It has a slimmer profile than bigeye tuna.

Yellowfin is known for its mild taste and firm texture, so it's a preferred tuna for sashimi thinly sliced raw fish. It can be marinated and grilled, too. Bigeye tuna is also found in tropical and subtropical ocean waters and is popular in Hawaii for eating and sport fishing. Although I love salmon, it can be quite a bit costly. And tuna is safe, like salmon, and has a variety of serious health benefits including being high in Omega-3s and vitamin B A seared tuna steak is a little different from the canned tuna that everyone is used to.

For one thing, it comes in an entire, beautiful raw steak that is far easier to shape than other forms of fish that might appear to flake apart. You should use your best judgment if you are worried about eating raw fish.

To be well-done, you can always opt to cook these Ahi tuna steaks all the way through. But on the outside, tuna steaks are usually served seared and on the inside raw. Completely cooked tuna like its canned counterpart can be a little dry, but when the outside is a crispy, salty, savory layer and the inside is a soft, soft, tender layer, the flavor is so much improved and the texture is fantastic.

Even if you plan on enjoying your ahi tuna raw, you can still follow the five steps below to cut your ahi tuna like a certified sushi chef. Begin by laying the fish on its side with its belly facing you. Use the back of a sharp knife to feel for the hard, scaly material running along the lateral, spanning from the pectoral fin to the tail.

Take the knife and start cutting the hard material away from the ahi tuna, beginning a little less than halfway up the tail and cutting toward the pectoral fin. Slice from the top of the head and around the collar in the direction of the belly. A light pull should be enough to detach the head from the rest of the fish. Holding onto the ahi tuna by the dorsal fin, start to slice away the tough scale material running along the back of the fish. Just like you did with the lateral line material leading to the pectoral fins, pull slightly upward on the dorsal fin as you cut away the material.

Keep cutting all the way to the head. Now, you can lay the ahi tuna back down on its side and slice through the entire lateral line all the way to the bone. While gently pulling the loin toward you, sever anything still connecting the loin to the spine. Remove and reserve cold. To get rid of the lower loins, turn the ahi tuna around so its tail is toward you.

Remove the tail end of the lower loin by cutting slightly above the middle of the fish from its tail to its cavity opening. You can either cut out the bloodline immediately or just before using the tuna.

Skin all your filets and reserve cold. Make sure you trim away any tough tail ends as well as soft front ends.