Albacore is a lesser known species of tuna. It can be identified by its very long pectoral fin. It is often called 'chicken of the sea' due to its meaty flavoured flesh, which turns white on cooking. Whilst albacore is unsuitable for sashimi, it is considered a good eating fish that has a strong pleasant fish flavour. The spawning season for albacore is from October to March, peaking in December and January. The largest catches are usually taken as a by-product of longline fishing for Southern bluefin and yellowfin tuna.

To buy
Albacore is a low to medium priced fish, sold mostly as steaks. Look for firm, moist, lustrous flesh with good pink colour that has a pleasant fresh sea smell.

To store
Wrap well in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or you can freeze for up to 3 months providing your freezer operates at –18°c.

To prepare
Albacore has very few, large bones, trim off any skin or dark muscle from the steaks and cut into portions. Albacore’s flavour and drier flesh benefit from marinating prior to cooking on a barbecue or char-grill.

To cook
Albacore is suited to most cookery methods; it is excellent for Indian or Thai curries or rich Italian tomato casseroles. It can also be wrapped in foil or paper parcels and baked with herbs to retain moisture. Marinate in Tandoori paste or olive oil and garlic for barbecued skewers. The meaty flavour of albacore goes well with stronger flavours such as garlic, chilli, ginger, turmeric, fennel, and roasted capsicum. Like all tuna it is important to avoid overcooking which will cause the flesh to become dry and to crumble.

Nutritional Values

Energy - 410 kj
Protein - 23.2 g
Fat - 0.5 g
Cholesterol 44 mg
Omega 3's - 365 mg