On a hot summer night, there’s nothing more delicious than perfectly seared tuna. Whether you’re catching a breeze on the dock or sweating things out in suburbia, seafood is synonymous with the season. And while there are tons of fresh fish and other sea creatures to choose from, tuna has an excellent reputation.
Far from the salty stuff found in a can, fresh tuna steak—when cooked properly—is light, lean, yet surprisingly hearty. Sometimes referred to as the ‘beef of the sea,’ it hardly has a ‘fishy’ taste at all. Tuna’s flavor is actually quite mild, yet somehow rich and satisfying at the same time. Seems like a contradiction, but that’s the magic of tuna!
So, if you’re cooking for yourself or someone who isn’t typically into seafood, tuna makes a spectacular choice. The problem is, tuna isn’t exactly easy to prepare. You need certain skill, knowledge and patience to pull this off—not to mention, a high-quality skillet or frying pan. Don’t worry. You know we’ve got you covered.
A properly cooked tuna steak isn’t exactly ‘cooked’ through; instead, chefs sear each side for just a few minutes, keeping the buttery-textured flesh mostly rare. As long as you don’t overcook it, the fish will appear deep red or purple in the middle, while its seared exterior turns white to light brown.
Since tuna is so low in fat, it has a tendency to dry out if cooked too long. In fact, this is exactly how tuna turns into the flaky, fishy stuff you find in those pouches at the supermarket. Gourmet chefs take an entirely different approach, treating the steak with utmost attention and care.
There are so many ways to infuse tuna with even juicier texture and bolder flavor. The list could go on and on, but instead, we decided to break things down by culinary inspiration. Take a trip around the world with these internationally inspired marinades:
When you’ve whisked up your desired marinade, generously coat the fish and allow to sit in the refrigerator in a tightly closed ziplock bag anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. The longer you wait, the more time the flesh has to soak up your concoction’s flavorful goodness.
Enough talk—more tuna! Now that summer is here, give one of these three fabulous recipes a try.
A marinade of zesty lime, warm garlic, bright ginger and rice vinegar bring your steaks to life in this tantalizing seared tuna recipe.
With a nod to summer’s favorite fruit, this seared tuna recipe is simply superb. Sweet, juicy diced peaches, cilantro, red onion and lime are perfectly balanced by a fiery mix of cayenne, garlic, smoked paprika and onion powder.
We’re taking tuna to the streets! Urban dwellers will adore this Korean take on the classic fish with flavors of soy, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, sugar, scallion and garlic.
