Pineapple-Tuna Salad Sandwiches -- Not Every Day Ends at the River

Father's Day. Patrick on the porch. Mom made him steak the way he likes. Medium. He ate slow. He patted my hand once. The patting was the saying.

Patrick on the porch in the afternoon. Coffee in the good cup. The cottonwoods.

Whole trout in cast iron. Caught from the Musselshell that morning. Butter, lemon, salt. Crispy skin.

I went to bed at ten. Slept seven hours. The body said thank you.

Storm came through Friday night. Thunder. The dog hid under the bed. The kids slept through it. The cattle bunched up by the windbreak. Standard.

Took a walk to the river before supper Tuesday. The cottonwoods were silver. The water was running. I did not think much. I just walked.

The barn cats are doing their job. Down to one mouse this week, in the feed shed. The cats brought it to the porch as proof. They are professionals.

Hauled three bull calves to the auction yard Wednesday. Got a fair price. Came home. Counted the cash. Put it in the ranch account.

Truck started cold Tuesday. Twelve below. Battery is the original. I will replace it before next winter. I always say I will replace it before next winter. I never have.

Hank, the dog, herded the chickens by accident. He apologized in the way dogs apologize — eyes down, tail low. The chickens were unimpressed.

The Musselshell was clear Sunday. Could see trout in the deeper pools. Did not fish. Just watched.

Drove the back fence line Saturday. Two posts down from elk. Replaced them in the morning. The fence held the rest of the week.

The wood pile is half what it was at Thanksgiving. I will split another cord on Saturday. The cord will be ready by next winter. The wood always is.

Three days of horses this week. The work is meditative. The horses know. The owners pay. The cycle holds.

Worked on the truck Saturday afternoon. Plugs and wires. Two hours. Hands black with grease. Came in. Showered. Ate.

A reader emailed about the elk chili recipe. Asked what beer to use if non-alcoholic was not available. I wrote back: any beer is wrong if you don't drink. Use stock.

Mended the chute hinge Wednesday. Welder was finicky. Got it on the third try. Patrick used to do this. I do it now.

A neighbor's heifer was choking on a corn cob. I drove over with my emergency kit. Cleared the cob with a length of garden hose. The heifer recovered. The neighbor brought a pie the next day.

The Tuesday Roundup AA meeting was eleven this week — three new guys from a referral. The room was full. The coffee was strong.

Wrote a blog post Friday night. The first one in two months. About making chili in a snowstorm. Short. Practical. Posted it. Forgot about it.

Drove to Billings for parts Friday. Stopped at the cemetery on the way home. Stood for ten minutes. Came home.

Mr. Whelan from down the road came over Saturday with a story about a horse he sold in 1979. The story took an hour. I listened. He needed someone to tell it to.

Listened to the cattle market report on AM radio while I worked the shop. Beef is up. Feed is up. The math is the math.

The whole trout in cast iron — butter, lemon, salt, crispy skin — that was the meal of the week. That was the one. But you can’t fish the Musselshell every morning, and most days the freezer is what you’ve got. Pineapple-tuna salad sandwiches are what I make when I want something that still tastes like intention — something cold and simple and put together without much fuss. Patrick would have liked these. He liked things that didn’t make a show of themselves.

Pineapple-Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 10 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cans (5 oz each) chunk light tuna in water, drained
• 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 8 slices sandwich bread or 4 sturdy rolls
• Lettuce leaves, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Drain thoroughly. Press the tuna and crushed pineapple separately through a fine-mesh strainer or squeeze in a clean towel. Extra moisture will make the salad watery, and watery is not what you want.
2. Combine. In a medium bowl, flake the tuna with a fork. Add the drained pineapple, celery, and red onion. Stir to distribute evenly.
3. Dress it. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Stir until everything is coated. Season with pepper and salt. Taste it. Adjust.
4. Chill if you have time. Cover and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes if the afternoon allows. The flavors settle. If it doesn’t allow, it’s fine right away.
5. Serve. Spoon onto bread or rolls. Add lettuce if you have it. Eat it at the table or standing at the counter. Either way is correct.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 21g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 460mg