Tuna Belly

Ventreche de Thon, Tuna Belly from Conserverie Jean de Luz

Tuna Ventreche de Thon from Conserverie Jean de Luz is the belly of the yellowfin tuna, its fattiest and most tender part. From a hundred-kilo fish, only about four kilos are yielded, which is why this cut rarely makes it to the table.

Tuna Ventreche de Thon is the belly flap of the yellowfin tuna, preserved in extra virgin olive oil by Conserverie Jean de Luz from the French Basque country. It is line-caught in the Bay of Biscay, then salted and packed by hand into long, whole strips.

Buttery, tender, and finely marbled

The belly is the fattiest part of the tuna, which is exactly where its soft, buttery character comes from.

In the mouth, the meat yields instantly without feeling oily or fishy, remaining mild and well-rounded. It is certainly bolder than the light loin fillet, but the intensity comes from the fat, not the salt. The fine, light lines in the muscle reveal what you are in for even before the first bite.

Four kilos out of a hundred

From a full-grown tuna with a live weight of one hundred kilos, only about four kilos of belly remain.

The rest is processed into fillets, terrines, and soup, as Conserverie Jean de Luz wastes almost nothing from the animal. Because the yield is so small, Ventreche has always held the rank of a delicacy in Basque kitchens. This is precisely why this jar sits on a higher shelf than any other preserve from the producer. Once you have tasted the belly, you will immediately recognize the difference from the loin fillet next time.

Line-caught in the Bay of Biscay

The yellowfin tuna for these jars are caught individually with a line rather than being encircled by large nets.

This naturally limits the quantity, as a boat can only bring in as many fish as the crew can haul on board. Bycatch is virtually non-existent with this fishing method, and the fish arrive on land undamaged. Conserverie Jean de Luz sources the fish from fishing grounds that are still considered healthy.

Salt from Navarre, harvested in the mountains

It is salted with salt from Navarre, which is produced in the mountains at an altitude of seven hundred meters.

It is harvested from saline spring water that absorbs salt from the mountain rock and is subsequently evaporated in shallow pools. Along with oil and fish, this is the third ingredient, making the ingredient list for this jar complete. For a product of this quality, this kind of restraint is the proper treatment.

Served cold, in long strips

Let the jar stand at room temperature for fifteen minutes; then the Ventreche will show its full melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Arrange the strips lengthwise on a light-colored plate, add a few capers and a little of the oil—nothing more is needed. It also finds its place on avocado toast with pink peppercorns and dill, or in a tabbouleh with plenty of herbs. If you are looking for a leaner cut, choose the tuna fillet in olive oil.

Once opened, the jar will keep in the refrigerator for about four weeks, as long as the oil covers the strips. The entire range of Conserverie Jean de Luz is available in our shop, along with other canned fish from the Atlantic.

Contents 270g – Drained weight 190g

Organic control body FR-BIO-010 – EU Agriculture