is it better to grill or fry tuna steaks

The thick tuna steaks in this recipe are one of the keys to ensuring perfect results on the grill every time. Trending Videos

Its 1998. Google is a newborn company that no one yet suspects will influence nearly every aspect of our lives. The world waits with bated breath after Ross accidentally says Rachels name at the altar. And fancy restaurants all over the United States are serving plate after plate after plate after plate of grilled tuna.

That, until now, weve never had an in-depth grilled tuna recipe on this site is not an accident. Its dated. Add to that serious concerns around overfishing of tuna, and theres good reason to avoid it. And yet a pristine slab of tuna, seared over high heat with a perfectly rare center is a lovely thing. In my opinion, its okay to make it on occasion, as long as you buy your tuna responsibly.*

*This is a concern with most edible creatures from the sea, but many species of tuna are in an especially precarious situation.

If you do decide to make grilled tuna, you want to make sure you do it right. Tuna aint cheap—especially not the quality youd want to eat near-raw after a quick jaunt on the grill—so ruining with bad technique is as close to unacceptable as it gets. Lets make sure that doesnt happen.

Tuna dries out quite quickly and turns crumbly, so it should be cooked very briefly over a high heat in a frying pan, on a griddle or over a barbecue; or cooked under oil (confit), sous vide or simmered in a sauce.

Dry, Oil, and Then Season the Tuna

While your grill is preheating, you can prep your fish. Its important to dry the fish well on both sides, using paper towels—minimizing surface moisture helps speed the searing process along and reduces the chances of the tuna sticking to the grill.

To that end, I also like to lightly rub the dried steaks with a neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil. Its just one more bit of insurance against sticking.

Salt draws moisture out of proteins like fish and other meats, so I make sure to sprinkle it on the tuna at the last second. After weve made sure to dry the surface of the fish well, the last thing we want to do is get it wet again before putting it on the grill.

How to Choose Tuna Steaks for Grilling

Buying tuna should start with researching sustainability. There are many species and sources of tuna that we should all do our best to never buy, whether from a fish market or at a sushi restaurant. There are far too many details to list here, so make sure to head over to Monterey Bay Aquariums Seafood Watch resource to see which types of tuna from which regions, and caught using which harvesting methods, are the most sustainable. I cant remember, for example, the last time I ordered bluefin tuna sushi and neither should you—no matter how loudly that meltingly fatty toro calls to you. I rarely make pronouncements like this, but some types of tuna are under such extreme threat that an equally extreme statement in support of protecting them shouldnt be controversial.

Assuming youve tracked down a source for tuna that doesnt violate the “never buy” list, youll next want to think about freshness. You want a piece of fish thats sushi- or sashimi-grade…except that those terms dont really mean anything. Theyre marketing language, meant to signal that the fishmonger feels confident that the fish youre buying is safe to eat raw. Whether you trust your fishmonger is an entirely different question.

Then again, tuna is one of the very few fish that generally must be processed such that parasites have been killed by extremely cold freezing temperatures. In this respect, at least, tuna is a safer bet than many other fish we commonly eat raw or minimally cooked.

Now, assuming youve found a sustainably caught and safe-to-eat-when-raw piece of tuna, the next thing youll want to think about is the size and dimensions of the tuna steaks themselves. Tuna is best when its still more or less raw in the center, since most of the flesh, save the belly, is exceedingly lean and prone to grotesque levels of dryness when cooked even halfway to well-done (one of the reasons we also like to cook tuna sous vide). That means you want a thick piece of fish.

Ideally your tuna steaks should be at least an inch-and-a-quarter to two inches in thickness, which will allow you to sear each side while still leaving enough meaty matter in the middle to remain mostly untouched by heat. Much like a few extra pounds of flab will help distance your internal organs from winters biting cold, an extra eighth-of-an-inch or more on each side of your tuna steak will leave you with a solid one inch of more or less sushi-like rawness in the center, which is what you want. (If thats not what you want, youre better off doing an entirely different tuna preparation instead, like slowly poaching it in olive oil; or just buy a can.)

Simple and Easy Grilled Tuna Steak Recipe

FAQ

What is the best method of cooking tuna?

Is tuna fish good for grilling?

How do you grill tuna without drying it out?

Does tuna steak stick to grill?

Are grilled tuna steaks a good idea?

Good, because here’s an incredible grilled dinner idea: grilled tuna steaks! Ahi tuna is rich and buttery. Seared perfectly on the outside, it tastes more like chicken or steak than fish! There’s nothing fishy about this tuna. Even better, it’s one of the quickest things you can cook. Just 1 to 2 minutes, and you’ve got dinner.

Which is better, salmon or tuna?

Wild salmon is healthier, but it is also harder to find and more expensive. But if we compare farmed salmon with wild tuna, tuna wins.

Can you cook tuna steak on a grill?

The small amount of honey in the marinade will help those sesame seeds adhere nicely to the tuna steaks and create a slight toasted/caramelized crunch on the edges of every bite. Grilling tuna steaks on a high heat grill like gas or charcoal is notoriously difficult.

Is grilled tuna steak a good substitute for grilled chicken?

Seared to juicy perfection, this quick and easy grilled tuna steak makes for a delicious, high-protein alternative to meaty weekday dinners. Tender and packed with flavor, this grilled tuna steak recipe is an easy way to substitute an ordinary steak or piece of grilled chicken for something far more exciting.