Yellowfin Tuna

Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi)

Yellowfin Tuna Flavor Scale

Flavor
Oil
Texture

Fresh Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) is a delicious fish which lends itself best to grilling or searing cooking applications. It is best served as sushi or cooked rare to medium-rare. Over-cooked tuna is “dog food”…tough and tasteless like eating cardboard.

Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) Flavor Profile

Yellowfin Tuna has a medium-mild flavor with very firm texture.  Compared to other Tunas it is less flavorful than Bigeye but more flavorful than Albacore.  The flesh is deep red while raw, is often used for sashimi, and is best not cooked well-done as it looses flavor and becomes like cardboard.

Tuna Grading
Tuna Grading is as follows: No. 1 “Sashimi-grade” is the best, being the freshest and having the highest fat content. Sub-grades of No. 1 Sashimi include: #1++ (best), #1+, #1 No. 2 “Grill-grade” is next best. No. 3 and No. 4 are lesser quality.
Sashimi Grade #1++	Sashimi Grade #1+	Sashimi Grade #1
Sashimi Grade #2 photos by www.honolulufish.com

Typical Cooking Methods

Alternate Names

Ahi (Hawaiian). Note: Bigeye Tuna is also sometimes called Ahi, but the term usually applies to Yellowfin.

Description (Thunnus albacares)

Image from Wikipidia- licensing info

Yellowfin Tuna have a distinctive yellow dorsal fin and yellow strip along its sides. The second dorsal fin and the, as well as the finlets between those fins and the tail, are bright yellow, giving this fish its common name. The pectoral fins are also longer than the related bluefin tuna, but not as long as those of the albacore. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which has about 20 vertical lines. It can grow to 300 Lbs but average commercial size is 8-20 Lbs.

Storage & Handling Recommendations

Store fresh loins/steaks as close to 33° as possible to maintain highest quality and shelf life. Although ice can be used, the flesh should be tightly wrapped in plastic and placed in perforated pans. The flesh should never come in direct contact with ice or water as this will discolor the meat, leech the oil content, and decrease shelf-life. Tightly wrapping in plastic will also slow the natural oxidation of the meat color which fades from a bright color to a darker, more opaque color.

Typical Wholesale Products

Rounds
H&G
Loins-Skin/On Bloodline-In (12 – 20 lb Avg.)
Loins-Skin/Off Bloodline-Out
Steaks

Fresh Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi) Availability

Fresh seafood availability chart: green areas show peak availability, light green show limited availability, gray indicates not available fresh. Frozen available all year long.

Ahi (Yellowfin Tuna) Butchering Yield Percentage and Recovery

How to Fillet Ahi Tuna

Here’s a tutorial video of how to break down an Ahi into loins. Notice how clean the carcass is after he finishes!

Range & Habitat

Yellowfin Tuna are found in warm waters all over the world. In US markets the best Yellowfin are harvested from southern California, Hawaii, Mexico, the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.

Yellowfin Tuna Sustainability Info

Name	Alternate Names	Catch Method	Catch Region	Seafood Watch	Ocean Wise	Sea Choice	Mercury Concerns
Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares	Ahi, Canned White Tuna, Maguro	Wild – Handline, Pole, Troll	US Atlantic & Pacific, Gulf of Mexico				unknown
			Western Pacific
			Worldwide except US Atlantic & Pacific		n/a		Moderate
			Indian Ocean
		Wild – Longline	US Atlantic,  Hawaii
			Worldwide except US Atlantic & Pacific
		Wild – FAD Purse Seine	Worldwide
		Wild – Unassociated Purse Seine	Western Pacific
			Atlantic, Eastern & Central Pacific, Indian Ocean
Disclaimer: The sustainability info above is accurate to the best of our knowledge. However, each program randomly updates their information without our knowledge. We therefore recommend that you verify the current accuracy of this information.
= Best Choice/Recommended     = Good Alternative     = Avoid/Not Recommended							Updated August 2013

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Jada Tullos Anderson

3 years ago

Hey guys – thanks for the great site. While googling, I saw your tables on Scribd and wanted to make sure y’all were aware and ok that they’re up there: scribd.com/document/327526482/Fish-Fillet-Yield-Percentages

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Reply to  Jada Tullos Anderson

3 years ago

Thanks for letting me know!

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