Saucy Rossy BBQ
Seafood

Oceanside Smoked Tuna with Garlic Butter Rub

Fresh-caught Atlantic tuna seasoned with garlic butter rub, smoked gently to 120°F on a Pit Boss, and dipped in Spicy Boys OG hot sauce.

TimeLow & slow CategorySeafood Watch2:31
Oceanside Smoked Tuna with Garlic Butter Rub — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Season the tuna all over with Heath Riles Garlic Butter Dry Rub.
  2. 2Set the Pit Boss pellet grill up for a low and slow cook.
  3. 3Smoke the tuna gently until it reaches 120°F internal.
  4. 4Pull it off the grill and give each piece a dip in Spicy Boys OG Hot Sauce.
  5. 5Serve right away — tender, juicy, and smoky with a fiery finish.

Watch it on YouTube

Pitmaster tips

  • Start with the freshest tuna you can get, ideally sushi- or sashimi-grade, since it's cooked gently and served on the rare-to-medium side.
  • Keep the smoker low — this is about flavour and gentle warmth, not searing. A steady low temp gives you even doneness from edge to centre.
  • Pull at 120°F for a moist, tender, medium finish. Tuna keeps cooking off the heat, so err early; past about 130°F it dries out fast.
  • Pat the tuna dry before seasoning so the rub sticks and the surface takes on colour.
  • Use a mild wood — a lighter smoke complements fish, while heavy hickory or mesquite will bulldoze it.
  • Slice against the grain in thick pieces and serve right away; smoked tuna is best warm off the grill.

Storage & reheating

Smoked tuna is best eaten fresh, but leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days in an airtight container. Because it's lean, it dries out quickly, so store it as a piece rather than sliced thin.

Rather than reheating (which overcooks it), enjoy leftovers cold — flaked over a salad, folded into a rice bowl, or on toast. Freezing isn't recommended; the texture suffers.

FAQ

Is smoked tuna cooked all the way through?

This recipe cooks it gently to 120°F, which is a medium, still-moist finish — not raw, but not the dry, flaky texture of a fully cooked fillet. Start with very fresh, high-quality tuna for a cook this gentle.

What internal temperature should smoked tuna be?

Around 120°F for tender, medium doneness. If you prefer it more cooked through, go a little higher, but expect it to firm up and dry out quickly past 130°F.

What wood pairs best with tuna?

Light, mild woods — alder, apple or a little maple — add smoke without overwhelming the fish. Avoid strong woods like mesquite.

Can I use frozen tuna?

Yes, if it's high-quality and properly thawed in the fridge — a lot of 'fresh' tuna was flash-frozen at sea anyway. Pat it very dry before seasoning so it takes smoke and colour.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Tuna
Tuna is a very lean, high-protein fish rich in omega-3s, selenium, and B12. Because it's lean it dries out easily, which is why it's smoked gently and served on the rare side.
Garlic
Garlic adds big flavour for almost no calories and contains sulphur compounds (like allicin) long studied for heart and immune benefits. It's one of the healthiest ways to season a cook.
Butter
Butter adds richness and helps carry sauce into the meat, but it's high in saturated fat and calories, so it works best as a finishing touch rather than by the cupful.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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