Basic HTML Version
old when landed, the quality of handline-caught
bigeye is more variable due to differences in
handling by small-boat fishermen.
In bigeye which have been stored too long after
harvest, the entrails burst, releasing stomach
acids and bile into the gut cavity. The gut cavity
is stained greenish-yellow as the acids attack
the stomach wall and eventually cause the flesh
to deteriorate.
Product Forms And Yields:
Bigeye tuna landed in Hawaii range from 20 to over 200 pounds in round
weight. The smallest fish are usually caught around fish aggregation buoys and over seamount
summits, whereas the largest are usually caught in deep open ocean waters. The larger fish are
preferred for their typically higher fat content and greater yields. These fish often enter the sashimi
market. Smaller fish of good quality may also be used for sashimi, but there is a growing demand for
fresh bigeye in the 20-50 pound size range for grilling in up-scale restaurants on the U.S. mainland.
Fresh bigeye may be sold already prepared as sashimi, and it is also marketed as loins, loin sec-
tions, or steaks at fish markets or markets with fish counter service or self-service counters. It is
usually exported in dressed (headed and gutted) form or as loins. The yield of fillet from a whole ahi
varies from 55-65%, depending on fish size (see Table 5).
Quartering Ahi:
Remove the ahi’s head by sawing beneath the gill plate and through the bone. Next,
with the tip of a sharp knife, cut through the thin layers of intermuscular bone laterally connected to
the spine. Once these bones have been severed, a clean fillet can be made without tearing the flesh.
Fillet cuts should be made as close to the bone as possible.
IV. Of Special Interest To Consumers/Food Service Personnel
Color, Taste, Texture:
Bigeye tuna of good quality has reddish-
pinkish flesh color. When exposed to air, bigeye tuna flesh will begin
to discolor (although at a rate slower than yellowfin flesh). For this
reason, bigeye is usually not loined or filleted until shortly before
use.
Larger bigeye typically have a higher fat content than smaller
bigeye, but even a fish as small as 25-30 pounds may be rich in fat.
Preparations:
Bigeye tuna is one of the preferred species for the preparation for sashimi. With a high
fat content, bigeye is also among the most desirable species for grilling. Its mild flavor adapts well to
numerous applications.