Seared Ahi Tuna Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How is ahi tuna best cooked? ›

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a saute pan on high until the oil is extremely hot and just about to smoke. Place the tuna steaks in the pan and sear for about 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

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.

So get your pan as hot as you can, coat the cooking surfaces of the tuna steaks with a bit of oil with a high smoke point (corn, canola, peanut - not olive oil or walnut oil), then fry the tuna for as little time as you can get away with.

Peanut oil adds great flavor. The goal here is to get a nice golden crust on all sides without cooking the ahi tuna all the way through. HOT PAN is key. Basically, the pan needs to be hot enough to get the crust golden in 60-90 seconds, otherwise you'll likely overcook the inside of the fish.

just brush each piece of tuna with egg whites before you add the sesame seeds. add a few tablespoons of oil to a pan over medium heat. let that pan get hot. add the tuna, let it cook for a minute and flip and then cook for 1min more.

Brush the top of the steak with garlic-infused olive oil then sprinkle a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Place this side down on a hot grill (350 is PERFECT). While that side is searing brush the new top side with the oil and add the salt/pepper. After 90 seconds flip the Tuna steak.

To get a quality sear, you need high heat. A cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed pan will provide enough heat capacity to sear a tuna steak, and a light skiff of high smoke-point oil on the surface will enhance heat transfer from the pan to the fish while also preventing sticking.

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.

The trick, you'll find, is not to overcook the fish. Even if you generally like your food cooked well done, Ahi Tuna is a food you want to cook as little as possible. As it cooks, it very quickly hardens, so it's good to make sure the center is nice and red (or pink). Make sure your Ahi Tuna is safe to prepare rare.

Should tuna be cold before searing? ›

Tuna steaks only need a quick sear

It recommends buying a tuna steak that is at least an inch thick and keeping it refrigerated until just before cooking it. The cooler temperature will add some protection to the tuna's interior and make it harder to overcook.

Yes! If you're wondering if tuna steak should be raw in the middle, the short answer is YES. A properly cooked tuna steak should be seared on the outside but raw on the inside. This is because tuna steaks are cut from the loin of the fish.

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.