Is it safe to eat raw Tuna, weigh-in!

[frozn1]

Ok folks, here is how it happened. Got some fresh yellow fin form a friend, and have eaten plenty of it raw. A friend of mine then says, that raw tuna when served, should have been frozen first to kill off the parasites.

Ok, I know that is true for fresh water fish, but I have eaten my share of just to the boat tuna, and never used it later for chum or upset tummy syndrome.

So, feel free to pipe in, but what I am looking for is the site, book, listing or something from the subject matter expert that can put this rumor to rest, or to educate the rest. This guy I am dealing with here is a 'show me' person, not a wrod of mouth person. Please send me the web site if you find it. this should be good for a couple of responses.

thanks and tight lines

BTW: I'm still going to eat it raw!
Warren

[whitebite]

Warren I also eat freshly gaffed raw tuna. I try not to freeze tuna either. I eat it raw for up to 1 week and then either give it away or cook it for a few more days. BUT.........BUT......according to many books that I have read concerning the preparation of proper sushi, he is correct. I will have to find the title of the books that I have read but almost everything I have read concerning preparation of raw tuna begins with, clean, cut, pat dry and freeze in an airtight rap for 3 days in order to kill off any parasites.

I do the painstaking working with tuna I catch in Nov-Dec to hold me over in Jan, Fe and march. If you take the time to cut the loin into a portion the size that you plan on serving (about 4-5 inches of a loin) rinse and wrap in a paper towel and let the towel soak up the moisture given off by the fish. I do this about 4 times to make sure the portion is extremey dry. Wrap it up completely airtight and freeze. I have had raw tuna that has been frozen for up to a month and it taste fine.

[frozn1]

Dag gome it!. This is me eating crow......crunch, crunch, crunch.

thanks white...

[capteddie]

It's almost like asking if its safe to drive on i-95. there's lots of factors involved.

Yes, raw tuna is going to have lots of bacteria, parasites, and organisms that will be killed off by cooking/freezing. Not all of these will make you sick. Bacteria is not a bad thing. There's more bacteria simply living on YOUR skin than there are people living on earth. Doesn't matter how often you bathe.

Freezing, or flash freezing, will kill off the majority of parasites. It will make the tuna safer to eat.

Not all tuna's have the bad things inside them. There's no easy way to tell...unless you've got a high powered microscope and a great eye for identifying the bad parasites involved.

I've got a website at home about this. I'll see if I can dig it up...


Safe or not, mercury levels or not, I'm still eating tuna every chance I get. If properly treated, packaged, and frozen...Tuna will last a long time. Vacuum sealing is the best investment I have found. If you don't own a vacuum sealer, you can freeze tuna (and all saltwater fish) in SALT WATER. Do all your wash down in salt water, and it will help prevent the fish from being ruined. It won't last nearly as long as vacuum sealing, but does work well enough for longer term storage.

[bobdu11]

Vacuum packed Tuna right off the bone will last for a loonngg time. Tastes like you just cut the loin into steaks......

We usually take our Raw Tuna and make Kelligan out of it. That is Raw Tuna soaked in Lemon Juice, Vinegar Boonie Peppers (hot peppers), Onion touch of finely chopped garlic. Soak it for a couple of hours and the meat slowly cooks in the sauce. The Acid in the Lemon Juice cooks the meat. IT's awesome picking it while sipping a brewski watching the football game !.....Bob


1 pound YFT, sliced thin.
2 tsp. fresh green onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 small red chili pepper (or more)
1 tsp. salt.

METHOD:
Mix ingredients in a bowl.
Chill before serving.
Serve with finadene sauce and tortillas.


the lemon juice pickles the meat.
I love it and the people of Guam have been eating it for years.
It is served at all of their Fiestas.

[capteddie]

bobdu describes what is more commonly, atleast around me, known as a crudo. It is wonderful with tuna.

This method lets the acids cook the fish instead of heat. I would assume it would kill off some of the 'nasties' as well, typically those bugs don't like high/low pH levels.

[Albemarle24]

While Tuna fishing yesterday there was a 80 year old guy on the boat who said he once ate a raw squirrel. That beats all my sushi eating adventures.

I have eaten fresh croaker raw.

Eric

[TommyTuna]

if its not safe to eat raw, i should be dead now, let me check......

[Tom Kidwell]

Warren:

Beware of the MAD TUNA DISEASE . [grin]

[DC Ben]

Oh crap I must be dead too.