If you’ve read this blog for long, you know we have a great love for steaks. Ribeye, NY strip, picanha…tenderloin filet—we love them all. But sometimes, just sometimes, we feel like we could use a break from steak. And that’s why we’re glad there’s such a thing as tuna steak.
If you’ve never had a tuna steak, you don’t know what you’re missing. Seared to form a delicious crust but still rare inside, a steak of quality tuna is not at all fishy but is savory, meaty, with a slight sweet freshness that is incredible. It is the red-meat of the sea. But it is, alas, all too often overcooked. Particularly by home cooks. And when it’s overcooked, it loses much of its charm.
Here, we’ll discuss the thermal principles behind a seared tuna steak so that you can make it properly for yourself. With a Thermapen® on hand, you really can recreate this high-end restaurant entree with the greatest of ease and confidence.
Just like a beef steak, tuna steak can be served from extremely rare to well done. Consider cooking times depending on how you prefer your tuna to be served. The centre of the steak should still be pink – be careful not to overcook it or the fish will be dry.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems should avoid raw tuna.
Most restaurants that serve sushi or other forms of raw tuna follow the FDA recommendations on freezing.
Tuna is highly nutritious, but due to high mercury levels in certain species, it’s best to eat raw tuna in moderation.
Still, adults should eat 3–5 ounces (85–140 grams) of fish 2–3 times per week to get enough omega-3 fatty acids. To meet this suggestion, focus on fish that’s lower in mercury, such as salmon, cod, or crab, and limit tuna to an occasional treat (19).
Tuna is a highly nutritious, lean protein. In fact, 2 ounces (56 grams) of albacore tuna contain (2):
What happens when you cook a tuna steak
Tuna is far more than the cheap canned meat you buy for sandwiches. In fact, it is among the most beloved and sought after fish in the world, with a rich history dating back to the Roman empire. The belly of the tuna, called toro, is super fatty (read: delicious) and can fetch prices of up to hundreds of dollars per pound. Now, you won’t be seeing that kind of tuna sold as a steak, generally. Usually what you’ll find is ahi (also called yellowfin) tuna loins offered as steak. If you can find or afford bluefin, though, go for it!
To understand how a tuna steak works, we need to look at the fish itself. Tuna is a large oceangoing predatory fish that can grow up to 1,500 lbs. They are speedy swimmers, reaching steady speeds of up to 40 mph. All that fast swimming takes some serious muscle, and even the muscles that, in other fish, are bland and pale are deeply imbued with oxygen-storing hemoglobin and loads of energy-creating enzymes.
Like all fish, however, the connective tissues in tuna are much easier to break down by cooking than those of beef. That means it is much easier to cook a tuna steak into a dry, crumbly mess than beef. And in fact, if you overcook it, it transforms from a delicious steak into something almost indistinguishable from canned tuna, with an overly sharp, almost metallic flavor. (More on not overcooking tuna below!)
How can you tell if ahi tuna is safe to eat raw?
FAQ
Is Yellowfin Tuna safe to eat raw?
Can you eat Yellowfin Tuna pink?
Does Yellowfin Tuna have to be fully cooked?
Can I eat rare tuna from the grocery store?
Can you eat a rare yellowfin tuna steak?
In a nutshell, you’re at very little risk from eating a rare yellowfin tuna steak if you’re fit and healthy. But to cook yellowfin tuna to 145 degrees Fahrenheit is your golden rule if you’re serving it to very young or old people, pregnant women or those with illnesses that leave them immuno-compromised.
Blackfin tuna vs Yellowfin tuna: Which is healthier?
Blackfin Tuna and yellowfin Tuna belong to the same Tuna family. But the blackfin Tuna are the smallest fishes among this family. The weight of these fishes is less compared other Tuna family fishes, so commercially they are not cultivated like other Tuna fishes. Nutritionally their protein content, fat content is similar to other Tuna fishes. Tuna species are good sources of lean protein and omega 3 fatty acids and also good sources of vitamin D3. So consuming them weekly twice is more healthier.
Is yellowfin tuna healthy?
Yellowfin tuna isn’t just tasty, it’s nutritious too. The USDA says that a 4-ounce serving of the cooked fish has just 165 calories, but provides a huge 138 micrograms of selenium, a mineral that is important for protecting against infection according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Are yellowfin tuna fish endangered?
The yellowfin tuna fish can be found throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, but several stocks appear to be declining due to overfishing and bycatch. According to the IUCN Red List, this species is considered “ least concern “. The yellowfin is one of the fastest fish in the water, which enables it to evade predators and capture prey.