Draining the oil cuts down on excess calories for weight-conscious consumers, but there may be a resulting loss of nutrition. One theory knocking about is that the beneficial fats in tuna may bond with healthy olive or avocado packing oils, which are therefore eliminated when you drain the can, explains Clean Plates.
Canned tuna is perfectly safe to eat directly out of the can, with no further preparation necessary; however, rinsing the tuna before eating it can remove excess sodium, and in the case of tuna that is packed in oil, rinsing it can remove some of the excess calories.
Fortunately, this seemingly unfortunate information is actually good news. According to research done by Italy's National Association of Canned Fish and the Experimental Station for the Food Preserving Industry, olive oil drained from canned tuna not only can be eaten but should be.
Unfortunately, it contains a high amount of salt, so it is best to drain the liquid to remove excess sodium and prevent soggy tuna sandwiches.
Bleeding improves the appearance of uncooked tuna flesh, helps initially to reduce the fish's body temperature and also gets rid of all the bacteria located in the fish's blood stream that may foul the flesh. All tuna should be bled for 10 to 15 minutes after iki-spiking and then immediately chilled.
Not all tuna cans say this - but those that do are often prepared in a way that the liquid is from the meat. If you drain, you'll be left with a very dry meat. Mixing it will allow the meat to reabsorb all of the moisture. Quite a bit of flavor is in this liquid, as is many nutrients.
Olive-oil packed or bust
There's some dissension in the test kitchen about this, but I say, “Go olive-oil-packed or just buy chicken.” If your tuna is in water, all the flavor of your tuna is in that water. Oil-packing, on the other hand, seals in flavor and gives you some luxurious fat to work with.
If you're counting calories and maximizing omega-3 fatty acids, then tuna in water might make a great choice. On the other hand, if moisture, flavor, and vitamin D levels are your focus, then olive oil-packed tuna might be better. Whatever tuna you choose, it's important not to go overboard for this mild-flavored fish.
Oil vs Water
Tuna packed in water will contain fewer calories and less fat but also allows for the loss of omega 3 fatty acids to occur. Water-packed also dilutes the natural juices and flavors contained within the fish and can lead to a more rounded and less refined taste.
Fat is fat soluble. This basically means that all the good fats in the fish (OMEGA-3s) will leech away with the sunflower oil when you drain it off. Bearing in mind that there is already less of the good stuff in tinned tuna (versus fresh), you cant really afford to lose any more.
Tuna in oil is a blessing when you need to rustle up something really quick… when the refrigerator cools nothing but its own white walls! You can add it to a salad, or a raw or cooked vegetable side dish, serve it up with spaghetti or in a Mediterranean style sandwich or roll!
Don't pour oil down the drain or in the toilet. It can clog not only your pipes but also the city sewer mains. You should also not add oil to a septic system. It can clog pipes and, even worse, your distribution lines and drainage field.
Ingredients: Yellowfin tuna (fish), olive oil, salt. Once opened, keep refrigerated, cover with oil, and consume within 3 days.
Oil-Packed Tuna
It's delicious out of the can or on top of salads or pasta. Oil-packed tuna is great for those who are looking for a meatier version of tuna, or a protein source that also comes with a decent amount of fat. Taste: The tuna is tender, moist, medium firm, while the oil has a strong tuna flavor.
The olive oil keeps the tuna moist and tender, while providing a richness to the fish.
Tuna can be eaten fresh – either raw or cooked – and canned (which is always pre-cooked).
A healthy tuna salad sandwich
Many nutritionists recommend tuna packed in oil, though tuna canned in water still delivers protein and other health benefits.
No Drain Tuna is a unique product innovation, incorporating patented technology which allows the tuna to be canned without excess liquid while retaining its succulent, great taste.
The 10-minute boil is a safety precaution to inactivate any toxin present that might cause botulism. IF everything was done right in the pressure canning of meats and vegetables, then there should not be a problem.
Just like a beef steak, tuna steak can be served from extremely rare to well done. Consider cooking times depending on how you prefer your tuna to be served. The centre of the steak should still be pink – be careful not to overcook it or the fish will be dry.
Because bleeding your fish helps get all the blood out – which produces tastier fillets. It's amazing how much better a well-bled fish tastes over a fillet that hasn't been bled properly. Plus, it's a humane way to kill fish quickly.