How to Cook Tuna
Tuna Steak has long been famous in the culinary world for its firm texture, delicate flavor and excellent plate presentation. While all of this is true, it can be difficult for the aspiring home chef to learn how to cook tuna properly. As with any seafood dish, freshness is key. Talk to your local meat market or fishmonger and ask them about what they have available in terms of freshness and quality.
Sashimi grade tuna is an excellent choice as it has been flash frozen to help prevent bacteria from forming. In regard to cooking tuna steaks, it is important to remember that a good tuna steak is seared on both sides but still pink in the middle. Trying to make it well done ruins the delicate flavor and texture of the fish and leaves it tough and harsh on the palate.
Yellow fin tuna steaks are a versatile dish that can be baked, grilled, fried, seared or eaten raw. The preferred method of cooking tuna steaks depends largely on its thickness, how fresh it is and finally, the personal taste of the cook. However, if for some reason yellow fin tuna is unavailable, swordfish makes an acceptable substitute. Once again, remember not to overcook your steaks as this ruins the quality of the dish. For the recipe mentioned below, you need to get the pan very hot as this will help the outside of the steak to become crispy while allowing the inside to remain tender.
Blackened Tuna Steak with Garlic Butter
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 4-6 minutes
For this blackened tuna steak recipe you’ll need the following items:
- 4 fresh, high quality tuna steaks such as Sashimi Grade
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, more if needed
- 1 jar seafood blackening seasoning
- Garlic Pepper Blend to taste
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- Seasoned Salt to taste
Step 1
How to Cook Tuna
Pour the vegetable oil in a frying pan and turn it to high heat. It is crucial to have the pan very hot before putting the tuna steaks on because the cooking time is short. Take the 1/2 stick of unsalted butter and place it in a small dish. Mash it a until it’s flattened a bit and set it aside.
Step 2
Pour enough of the seafood blackening seasoning in a shallow container to coat the entirety of the tuna steak. Roll the tuna steak in the seasoning, pressing it into the meat with your hands.
Step 3
Place the steak into the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. The outside should be just cooked and the inside should still be rare. However, if you are squeamish about eating undercooked seafood, feel free to cook it for longer but it will no longer be tender. While the tuna steak is searing, place the dish containing the unsalted butter in the microwave until it is melted. Add as much garlic pepper blend and seasoned salt as you desire.
Step 4
remove the tuna from the pan and place it on a serving plate. This dish is also tasty when served over a bed of greens such as an herb salad with sliced avocado, cherry tomatoes, blue cheese and an olive oil and lemon juice dressing.
Another option for cooking tuna steaks is to marinate it for an hour in a mixture of olive oil, crushed garlic and chili paste such as Sriracha. You can then cook on a heated barbeque grill covered with aluminum foil and a non-stick spray such as PAM for about 4 minutes on each side. This could be served with a side of seasonal vegetables such as green beans or summer squash cooked in butter with a pinch of salt.
If you are seeking an even quicker method of enjoying your Sashimi grade tuna, you could always make tasty finger food by wrapping thin slices of raw Sashimi tuna around spears of fresh mango and short grain white rice and hold it in place using a toothpick. Sushi rice would be a good choice for this because it tends to be a bit stickier than other rice varieties and therefore can be molded together and not crumble apart.
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