Tuna Steak – 5 Minutes Cook

The perfect Tuna Steak is seared on the outdoor and deliciously rare at the inner. Cooked in 2 half mins flat, it’s additionally probably the quickest fish recipe ever!

I’m serving this tuna with a vibrant and clean Sauce Vierge, a mild French sauce that’s a present day conventional for all the proper motives. wholesome, brief and smooth, this Tuna Steak also makes for lovely presentation. seems, taste, speed and elegance – this ticks all of the boxes!

Tuna Steak

There’s a cause why tuna is so exceedingly prized by means of the maximum elite restaurants around the sector. The belly is sought after for its wealthy and fatty flesh, whilst the loins – which we’re using these days – have a silky texture and a savoury, easy flavour that isn’t in any respect “fishy”. The jewel-like hue of the loin meat meanwhile is lovely and the premise for lots a stunning-searching dish.

You’ll frequently see tuna loin used raw for delicate canapés and starters together with tataki, carpaccio, tartare and ceviche, to call some. The belly meanwhile is coveted particularly for sashimi. Tuna is the celebrity of the arena-famous each day tuna public sale on the Tokyo fish markets, where complete tuna can promote for mind-boggling prices. (the primary bluefin tuna of the season is particularly regarded for drawing outrageous bids for the publicity, and the modern-day report stands at over $3 million for a 278 kg (612 lb) tuna – that’s over $10,000 / kg!!!

Such is the attraction and demand for best tuna these days. but everyday folk like you and me don’t need to pay crazy costs for tuna for our functions nowadays!! excellent pleasant, fresh tuna steaks are effortlessly to be had out of your local fish monger and are just quality!!

Should Tuna Steak be Raw in the Middle

In case you’re wondering if tuna steak have to be raw within the center, the short solution is yes. A well cooked tuna steak have to be seared at the outside however raw on the internal.

This is due to the fact tuna steaks are reduce from the loin of the fish. This a part of the tuna, identifiable with the aid of its even, translucent crimson or crimson coloration with little fats, is lean. as soon as cooked, it tends to become pretty dry – consider canned tuna and the feel it has. It’s a chunk like overcooked chicken breast! As a good deal as we love our canned tuna, we don’t need to devour a whole steak of that!

Serving the tuna with a unprecedented (uncooked) centre guarantees the inner stays soft and succulent. Tuna that is medium or nicely finished will start to resemble our friend the canned tuna – except without the canning oil that comfortably makes up for that dryness!

Different Varieties of Tuna

Different types of tuna have different qualities and culinary uses. Pictured in today’s recipe is yellowfin tuna which is the most common type of tuna sold at fish mongers here in Australia. It’s an excellent all-rounder tuna with a mild flavour, used for everything from sashimi / raw to canning.

The other main types of tuna you might come across are:

• Skipjack tuna – Most commonly used for canned tuna, it has a stronger taste than other types;
• Albacore tuna – Also used for canning; light coloured flesh;
• Bluefin tuna – The most highly prized tuna for its rich flesh and eating qualities, especially by the Japanese. This is the type that sells for mind-boggling prices at the famous Tokyo tuna auctions;
• Bigeye tuna – Another highly valued tuna, the second most expensive after bluefin tuna; and
• Ahi tuna – This is a Hawaiian name covering both yellowfin and bigeye tuna. People in the US know it for things like Poke Bowls.

What You Need to Cook Tuna Steak

Right here’s all you need to prepare dinner tuna steak: clean tuna, salt, pepper and oil.

Choosing Tuna Steaks

Due to the fact tuna steak is great served rare internal, it’s essential to ensure the tuna is sparkling. It doesn’t want to be “sashimi-grade”, that’s the nice required when serving the tuna completely raw, including with Poke Bowls, Ceviche, Tartare or as sashimi and sushi (the remaining two recipes are on my mother’s website, RecipeTin Japan). but, it does need to be very clean.

And it’s outstanding-clean to inform – simply odor and contact it:

How to Tell Tuna Steak is Fresh

1. Smells smooth like the ocean and no longer “fishy”; and
2. Flesh is wet but not slimy.

Agree with me, you may realize as soon as you odor it if it’s far sparkling – or no longer! (playstation there is absolutely no disgrace at all in asking the fishmonger to bypass the tuna over the counter so that you can smell it. I in my view insist on it. Fish is high-priced!)

How to Cook Tuna Steak

The trick to cooking tuna steak perfectly is a screaming hot skillet so you can sear the outside nicely while keeping the inside raw. It has to be super-hot because it’s only on the stove for 2 1/2 minutes!

1. Oil and season steaks – Rub oil on the tuna steak then sprinkle with salt and pepper. I like to use olive oil because it has a bit of flavour, but any oil is fine here;
2. Preheat skillet until smoking hot – Use a heavy-based skillet so it can be preheated until it’s so hot that you see smoke coming from the pan.TIPS:
   – Do not use a non-stick fry pan. These are not made for high heat cooking and you will ruin the non-stick coating;
   – Do not oil the skillet before preheating. It will smoke out your house! If it’s a well-seasoned* cast iron pan or grill pan, as I have used, then there’s no need to add oil into the skillet because we’ve oiled the tuna;
   – If you need to oil a skillet (ie. if yours is not a cast iron skillet), wait until it is super-hot then lightly brush with oil. Use either a heat-proof basting brush, paper towel lightly dipped in oil, OR take it off the heat then spray lightly with oil. Never spray a screaming hot skillet with oil ON a gas stove if you value your eyebrows and your house – it’s a fire hazard!!
   _{* A seasoned pan is cast iron or carbon steel pan that has developed a natural non-stick patina through repeated use. It should also be kept lightly oiled to stop it from rusting;}
3. Cook tuna – Once the skillet is very hot, place tuna in the skillet.– How long to cook tuna: A 2.5cm / 1″ thick, 200g / 7oz tuna steak should be cooked for 90 seconds on the first side then 60 seconds on the other side to get a nice sear on the outside while keeping it rare on the inside.
   – Target internal temperature: The target internal temperature is 48°C (118°F). This will ensure the inside is still rare and pleasantly warm rather than stone cold;
4. How to get the criss-cross grill marks – If you want to get the fancy restaurant-style grill marks:a) Use a cast iron grill pan – Use a cast iron skillet with grill Iines, like that pictured in post;
   b) Cook 45 seconds – Place tuna in skillet for 45 seconds;
   c) Turn 45 degrees, cook another 45 seconds – Turn the tuna 45 degrees and leave for another 45 seconds. Then flip the tuna;
   d) 60 seconds other side – Cook tuna steak on second side for 60 seconds, then remove to a rack;You will notice this means the criss-cross is applied to only one side. This is to simplify the cooking. Serve the criss-cross side facing up, obviously!Tip: For the most perfect lines, do not move the tuna once placed in the skillet (except to rotate the one time)!
5. Rest on rack – Ordinarily, we want meats to continue cooking as they rest. This is sometimes called “carry over cooking”. In this case, we want to minimise it because we want the tuna steak to remain rare inside! So I like to use a rack set over a tray to rest tuna steak, to encourage excess heat to dissipate. You rarely see me do this, I normally just use a plate (save washing up and all that jazz!) So the fact that I’m doing it tells you that it matters!
6. Slice up and admire! Let the tuna rest for 5 minutes until cool. The cooler the tuna, the easier it is to slice so the seared crust sets and is less likely to crumble when you cut it. It’s actually better served at room temperature since the middle of the tuna only gets to 48°C/118°F which is rare (barely above raw). If you serve it hot, the temperature difference between the outside and inside can seem jarring when you eat.Slicing to serve is optional. Fine dining restaurants often choose to pre-slice tuna for presentation purposes, because the striking red colour inside looks so good!As for what to serve with Tuna Steak? It’s pictured in this post with Sauce Vierge, a kind of French salsa / vinaigrette. This light and bright sauce goes perfectly with fine and fresh-tasting tuna steak. See below for a list of more Tuna Steak sauces and topping ideas!

Best Sauces and Toppings for Tuna Steak

Being a fantastically mild flavoured fish, tuna lends itself for all sorts of opportunities with regards to a sauce. shiny and clean sauces and accompaniments work satisfactory with this tuna, in place of very buttery or creamy kind sauces (like this Lemon Cream Sauce for Fish).

Here are a few hints:

• Sauce Vierge – Pictured inside the put up, this is a summery French salsa / French dressing popularised through the exquisite French chef, Michel Guérard. he is known for introducing a lighter fashion of French food emphasising simplicity and freshness, affects we nevertheless see in restaurants today. This sauce pairs superbly with tuna. I especially experience how the French dressing seeps into the cracks of the tuna flakes when you spoon it over;
• Mexican salsa – the intense, leaping flavours of a Mexican tomato salsa would additionally be terrific with tuna! Casually dollop it over like I’ve executed with the Sauce Vierge. percent de Gallo could also paintings, even though I’d advise cutting the tomato a bit smaller;
• Salsa Verde – stunning, fresh herbs on this simple, no-cook dinner, pesto-like sauce make this best for tuna and all types of seafood, no longer point out its fabulous outstanding inexperienced color!
• Pesto – A smear of basil pesto at the aspect would be notable. You received’t want a great deal due to the fact the flavor of pesto is extra excessive than, say, Salsa Verde;
• Chimichurri Sauce – South america’s contribution to the sector of zingy, meat-friendly sauces, this parsley-garlic-olive oil sauce is a first rate choice for tuna;
• Japanese Ginger Sauce – if you’re looking for a eastern bent, use the marinade/sauce in my Tuna Poke Bowl recipe. It’s gorgeous!
• Lemon French dressing – The zippy taste of lemon is a natural pairing with any fish! the usage of a vinaigrette (ie. salad dressing) in preference to undeniable lemon juice. The oil and other flavours provides a few richness and further flavor. It also makes the dressing more viscous so it clings to the tuna higher. Use the dressing on this Brown Rice Salad recipe.

There’s just a few thoughts to get you began!

Sides to Serve With Tuna Steak

As for facets, it simply depends which manner you go along with the flavours. generally I’d choose lighter aspects to preserve with the fresh vibe of the tuna and sauces. right here are a few recommendations:

Cheesy mini Potatoes or Creamy Cucumber Salad

Roasted Vegetables – A brilliant veg + starch side choice.

White Bean Tabbouleh Salad – all the flavours you like about tabbouleh, bulked out with beans to make a all-in-one side;

Homemade (first rate easy!) crusty artisan bread + a leafy inexperienced salad with a French, Italian or traditional Salad Dressing;

A large fats inexperienced Bean Avocado Salad!