Things to Know About Tuna
Tuna Species
There are usually two kinds of tuna served at restaurants: Maguro and Ahi.
Maguro (Bluefin Tuna): Bright in color, fatty, flavorful.
Ahi (Yellowfin Tuna): Lean, less flavorful.
Big-eye Tuna: Quality lies between the Bluefin and the Yellowfin Tuna. Fatty and flavorful. Legit though. This fish has enormous eyes. Just google it. They have the weirdest eyes that stare into the other fishes' souls.
Subtype Cuts
1. Akami (pictured above): The lean meat along the fish's spine. Usually maguro will come as akami. The quality of the akami depends on its location on the fish. Your Akami will usually be a sexy red color. It's your average tuna part.
2. Toro: The fattiest portion of the fish along the belly. Toro, meaning "to melt", is named for its rich, sweet, and creamy taste that melts in your mouth. If you haven't tried this, you really should. When you finally try this, it's actually possible to not chew and just have it melt. It's really convenient to have this option. Saves energy for all the lazy people out there. There are two more subtypes of toro, Otoro and Chutoro. Otoro is the fattiest part of the fish. Since it is both delicious and highly demanded, Otoro commands the highest prices in sushi restaurants.
3. Chutoro is along the belly but is located towards the tail. It is often preferred because it is less fatty than Otoro but fattier than Akami.
4. Hohoniku: Tuna cheek.
3. Noten: The upper head of the tuna.
5. Kamatoro: Tuna neck.
