The grill offers you two ways of preparing tuna. One method is to grill a thinner tuna steak over high heat until it is cooked through. The other method is to quickly grill it over very high heat, searing the outside, which leaves the fish mostly raw, but seared tuna is an Asian favorite that's becoming more and more commonplace in the U.S.
The Basics of Grilling Tuna
No matter how you prepare tuna, always shop at a reputable market with only the highest quality seafood available. Look for tuna with deep red, even color without dark patches. Tuna is great for grilling and is uniquely meaty and delicious. Luckily, it is also easy to cook.
Tuna is a very lean fish and tends to dry out quickly on the grill. While serving with sauce will help, if you cook tuna beyond medium rare it is most likely be dry. To help combat dryness, you can marinate the tuna. Anything with a lot of acid will begin to cook the fish before it hits a heat source (similar to the way ceviche cures fish in acidic citrus juices), so the marinade should be pretty mild and the tuna should not marinate for very long. Use a drizzle of high-quality olive oil, herbs, spices, and a small amount of lemon juice or flavored vinegar and marinate for just a few minutes while the grill heats.
Watch Now: 8 Tricks for Perfect Seafood on the Grill
Fully Cooked Grilled Tuna
If you choose a piece of tuna that is about 1-inch-thick, it will grill in about 8 to 10 minutes, provided that your grill is very hot. Remove tuna from the grill before the surface starts to get crusty and burns. Unlike beef, lamb, or pork, you do not need to let tuna rest before serving. Get it off the grill and onto the plate right away.
Seared Grilled Tuna
For seared tuna, purchase a piece of tuna that is about three inches thick. Prepare it simply with a light brushing of oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Preheat the grill until it is very hot. The major difference between grilling and searing tuna is the level of heat. Some gas grills simply can not produce the intensity of heat necessary to properly sear a piece of tuna. In this case, use a heavy cast-iron skillet. The iron skillet will absorb and hold the heat, giving you a good sear as long as you preheat the pan. If you trust your grill to produce the level of heat needed, then go straight to the grate;otherwise, use the skillet or a heavy-duty griddle.
Charcoal grills will allow you to bank up hot coals under the grate to get the kind of intense heat you need. The tuna sears for less than one minute per side, leaving the interior raw. Sear your thick cut of tuna on all four or six sides for about 45 seconds per side. The result is a piece of tuna that has a fantastic seared crust all around and a heated but raw middle.
How to Serve Grilled Tuna
If you've cooked your tuna through and it's a little dry, or you just want to add more flavor, serve it with a sauce or a salsa. Pineapple ango salsa, ginger and lime sauce, or buttery lemon chive sauce all compliment grilled tuna nicely.
Thinly slice seared tuna the way you would a steak and serve it immediately with a spicy wasabi sauce or a balsamic reduction. Tuna can be served with grilled vegetables, rice, or as part of a Niçoise salad bowl.
It's 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.
Searing tuna steaks in a hot skillet caramelizes the surfaces of the fish and locks in the moisture. For best results when mastering how to cook tuna steak on a stove, start with ¾-inch-thick steaks. Choose a heavy skillet that best fits the number of tuna steaks you are cooking.
If you choose a piece of tuna that is about 1-inch-thick, it will grill in about 8 to 10 minutes, provided that your grill is very hot. Remove tuna from the grill before the surface starts to get crusty and burns. Unlike beef, lamb, or pork, you do not need to let tuna rest before serving.
Place the tuna steaks on the grill, directly over the heat. Grill for 3 minutes on each side, or less, depending on your preference. Tuna should be firm with pink in the middle and reach an internal temperature of 145ºF on a digital meat thermometer. Serve them whole or slice into ¼” strips.
So how long should tuna steaks be left out? At a minimum, you'll want to remove them from the refrigerator 20 minutes before you're going to toss them in the pan or on the grill. That's enough time for them to reach room temperature.
Organic Paprika (Sweet or Smoked): For a subtle warmth and color, excellent in rubs. Use smoked paprika for a more grilled flavor. Organic Black Malabar Pepper: A classic pairing for a simple seared tuna steak. Organic coriander Powder: Offers a lemony, floral note, excellent for an exotic twist.
Use high heat and make sure your grill is hot, hot, hot before adding the Tuna Steaks for best results. They only need about 2-4 minutes to grill per side to achieve the perfect rare to medium rare centers. EXTRA TIP: Flip the Tuna Steaks once halfway through grilling to ensure even cooking/searing on both sides.
Properly preparing the grill by cleaning and oiling the grill grate reduces the chances the fish will stick. Drying and lightly oiling the tuna also helps ensure it doesn't glue itself to the grill grate. Using thick tuna steaks makes it easy to leave the center rare.
How do you know when tuna steaks are done? Tuna steaks should reach a minimum internal temperature of 125 degrees. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the thickest part of the tuna steak after grilling.
Carefully turn over and sear on the other side for around 1 ½–2 minutes, or until the steak is lightly browned and comes away easily from the pan. Put on a plate to rest for 1 minute before serving. Ideally, you want the tuna steak to be about 2cm/¾ in thick so they are slightly pink in the middle when cooked.
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.
If you're wondering why tuna steaks would need to get to room temperature before cooking, it's very simple. As with other meats, even on high heat a cold center won't warm in the time that it takes to sear the outside, particularly if you prefer to serve your tuna steaks rare.
Brush the tuna steaks lightly with oil, and season. Put the tuna steaks into a heated frying pan over a high heat and allow to cook for 1-2 mins, depending on how thick the tuna steaks are. Turn the tuna over and cook for 1-2 mins on the other side.
Tuna packed in water will contain fewer calories and less fat but also allows for the loss of omega 3 fatty acids to occur. Water-packed also dilutes the natural juices and flavors contained within the fish and can lead to a more rounded and less refined taste.
Canned tuna is actually already cooked before it's canned, so technically, you can eat it straight from the can if you want. However, you can add canned tuna to a dish that you're cooking to add some healthy protein. For instance, you can add canned tuna to a pot of mac and cheese.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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