Cold Smoked Poke with Ahi Tuna

Jul 28, 2023 • Thomas Jackson

Cold Smoked Poke with Ahi Tuna is the raw fish dish you didn't know you needed in your life. It mixes together a creamy, pineapple coconut slaw and a citrusy, bright Japanese BBQ dressing. Smoked with cherry pellets this Ahi tuna steak will melt in your mouth. A must try!

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Smoke without any heat. Running just the grill's fans (not the burner) pushes cherry-wood smoke over the tuna for two full hours without ever cooking it — the fish stays raw and silky.
An overnight rest mellows the smoke. Sealing the tuna and refrigerating it overnight before using it softens what could otherwise be an overpoweringly smoky bite.
Two distinct flavor layers, not one sauce. The citrusy poke dressing and the creamy coconut-pineapple slaw hit completely different notes, so the dish doesn't taste one-dimensional.
The slaw is genuinely make-ahead. It holds well in the fridge overnight, so the only day-of work is dicing the tuna and mixing the poke itself.

Cold Smoked Poke with Ahi Tuna

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.4 stars by 5 users

Cuisine

Asian

Servings

4

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours

Calories

1104

Are you ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more? Look no further than Cold Smoked Poke with Ahi Tuna! This extraordinary dish combines the freshness of raw Ahi tuna with a creamy pineapple coconut slaw and a zesty Japanese BBQ dressing. And to top it all off, the Ahi tuna steak is cold smoked with cherry pellets, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth experience that is simply out of this world. Trust us, this is a must-try dish that will take your seafood game to a whole new level!

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Ingredients

Coconut Pineapple Slaw:

1/4 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha Hot Sauce
2 cups angel hair cabbage
3/4 cup pineapple, minced

Poke Dressing:

1/3 cup Bachan’s Yuzu Japanese Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp ponzu
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Colonial Chile Oil
1 tbsp Yellowbird Blue Agave Sriracha Hot Sauce

Poke:

1 lb sushi grade Ahi Tuna
1/2 cup avocado, diced
1/2 cup sweet onion, shaved very thin
1/4 cup green onion, green parts only, sliced thin
2 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning

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Directions

Press the power button on the Yoder Smokers YS480s Pellet Grill to turn the fans on. Do not hit the start button.
Fill an A-MAZE-N Tube Smoker with 100% cherry wood pellets. Place the tube smoker on the bottom right side of the grill. Light with a torch and let the flame burn for a minute before blowing it out.
Place a pan of ice next to the tube smoker on the main cooking grate. Place your Ahi Tuna on FrogMats on the second shelf of the grill. Close the lid and let the ahi cold smoke for 2 hours.
After two hours, remove the ahi from the grill and place in a vacuum seal bag (or zip top plastic bag). Place in the refrigerator overnight to let the smoke flavor mellow.
To make the Coconut Pineapple Slaw, combine all ingredients except the pineapple and cabbage in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the pineapple and cabbage to the bowl and toss to coat. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This can be made the day before serving.
To make the poke, first combine all poke dressing ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk well.
Dice the ahi tuna into bite sized pieces. Transfer them to the bowl with the dressing and add the avocado, sweet onion, green onion and mix well. Top with Cattleman’s Grill Everything Bagel Seasoning.
Serve the Cold Smoked Poke along with the Coconut Pineapple Slaw.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Is it safe to eat the tuna raw after cold smoking?
Cold smoking adds flavor but doesn't cook the fish, so food safety depends entirely on starting with genuinely sushi-grade, previously-frozen tuna from a reputable source — the smoke itself doesn't make raw fish safer to eat.

Why rest the tuna overnight after smoking?
Two hours of smoke can taste sharp or bitter right away — sealing the tuna and letting it rest in the fridge overnight allows that smoke flavor to mellow into something more balanced.

Can I cold smoke without a Yoder Smokers grill?
Yes — any grill works as long as you can generate smoke without heat (a tube or box smoker) and keep air moving over the food, either by cracking the lid periodically or using a small fan.

Why keep ice next to the tube smoker?
The ice pan helps keep the ambient temperature down during the two-hour smoke, since cold smoking depends on smoke exposure without any real heat buildup.

Can I make the slaw ahead of time?
Yes — it holds well in an airtight container in the fridge overnight, which is actually recommended in the recipe itself.

How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 — best done outdoors. Cold smoking specifically needs airflow and a way to generate smoke without heat, which is difficult to safely replicate in a home kitchen.

Recipe Highlights

Fans only, no heat: Direction Step 1 turns on just the grill's fans without starting the burner — that's what keeps this a true cold smoke instead of accidentally cooking the fish.
Ice alongside the smoke: Step 3 places a pan of ice next to the tube smoker, helping keep the cooking chamber cold throughout the full two-hour smoke.
Overnight rest before serving: Step 4 seals the smoked tuna and refrigerates it overnight, mellowing what would otherwise be a harsh, overly smoky first bite.
Diced and dressed just before serving: Step 7 doesn't cut and dress the tuna until right before eating, keeping the citrus-forward dressing from breaking down the raw fish's texture.