Go Old School

Taste It for Yourself

How to Make Your Own Fresh “Canned” Tuna Fish
Easy Tuna Confit Recipe

It is no secret that canned tuna fish comes with several warnings, one of which is its high level of mercury. Another big concern is that most canned tuna comes from less than best fish catching or farming practices. So, what do you do if you love canned tuna? Do you have to give it up?

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The Art of
Confit

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I gave up canned tuna long ago. However, once in a while I craved a nice tuna fish sandwich or a heaping scoop of tuna fish on my garden salad. It occurred to me that I could simply make my own “canned” tuna fish. I started to do a little research. What I immediately found is that canned tuna is simply “tuna confit,” that is down for them.tuna poached in olive oil.

If you are Italian, there is a good chance that you already know how to make tuna confit. (The first canned tuna fish came from Italy.) If you’re not Italian, know that it is pretty easy to make. Here is a simple recipe of how I make my own.

Ingredients – ½ pound of fresh, wild-caught yellow-fin or albacore tuna, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, juice from half a lemon, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation – First, cut the tuna filet into large chunks. Second, make a marinade of the remaining ingredients. Then, let the chunks soak in the marinade for about 6 hours. You can cover it and let it marinade in the refrigerator overnight if need be. Next, heat up a pan on the stove and place the tuna and marinade in the pan. Once the marinade begins to simmer, turn the heat down and let it cook for 5 minutes. Let it cool for at least 30 minutes. Then, place the tuna chunks into a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the marinade. Mash and flake the tuna to the consistency of your liking. It should be flaky and corse. Now, you have fresh “canned” tuna.

Feel free to experiment with the marinade. Other marinade recipes include chicken broth, onion, yellow mustard, various vinegars, capers, garlic and more. It’s up to you. Enjoy and feel good about your homemade “canned” tuna!

image credits – photo of marinade by Jeff King titled, “Tuna Confit,” and photo of tuna fish cans by Mike Mozart titled, “Chicken of the Sea Tuna Fish”