Tuna Steaks: A Beginner's Guide

For beginners, tuna steaks only needs a pan, a little patience and good fish. The aim is to keep things simple and reliable. The rest of this article covers tuna steaks in plain, practical terms.

Start here

Worth keeping in mind: yellowfin and bigeye are the tuna species most usually sold as steaks in American markets. Yellowfin, sometimes labeled ahi, is lean with a clean, mild flavor. Bigeye has more fat and a richer taste. Albacore, a paler tuna, is softer and is more familiar in canned form, though fresh albacore loins also appear seasonally.

What you need

Look for steaks with bright, translucent red or deep pink flesh and a fresh, clean smell. Tuna naturally darkens when exposed to air, so some brownish color on the surface is not always a sign of age, but dull, dry, or mushy flesh is. Steaks at least an inch thick are easiest to sear while keeping the center rare.

If you remember one thing, let it be that dry fish sears and wet fish steams.

Your first attempt

In practice, the classic method uses a very hot skillet or grill. Brush the steak with oil, season it with salt and pepper or a coating of sesame seeds, and sear for only a minute or two per side. The outside should be browned while the inside remains red or pink. Cooking tuna all the way through tends to make it dry and firm.

If you remember one thing, let it be that dry fish sears and wet fish steams.

What to expect

The key point is that for cooks who prefer more doneness, a medium center keeps tuna reasonably moist, especially when paired with a sauce. Marinades with soy sauce, ginger, citrus, or garlic add flavor, but acidic marinades should be brief, since acid begins to firm the surface.

Easy upgrades

Worth keeping in mind: sliced across the grain, seared tuna works well over salads, in rice bowls, or on its own with a dipping sauce. Tuna intended to be served rare should be very fresh and handled with care, and many markets label fish they consider suitable for raw or rare preparations.

The practical takeaway is to pull seafood from the heat a moment early, since it keeps cooking on the plate.

Next steps

The key point is that fresh tuna steaks behave more like beef than like most fish. The flesh is dense, deep red, and meaty, and many many people prefer it seared on the outside and rare in the center. Understanding how tuna differs from flaky white fish is the key to cooking it well.

Practical tips

In everyday terms, this can look like:

• Cook seafood within a day or two of buying it.
• Thaw frozen seafood slowly in the fridge overnight.
• Pull fish off the heat just as it turns opaque.
• Keep seafood in the coldest part of the fridge, ideally on ice.

The bottom line

None of this needs to be perfect. Take it one dish at a time. Each one teaches you how your own stove and pan behave.