Description
A quick and delicious tuna steak recipe perfect for a healthy, high-protein meal. The tuna is seasoned simply, seared in a hot skillet to create beautiful grill lines while maintaining a tender and moist interior, and served with a fresh and vibrant sauce vierge.
Ingredients
Scale
Tuna Steak
- 2 x 180-200g (6.5-7oz) tuna steaks, skinless, boneless, about 2.5-3cm (1-1.2″) thick
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp olive oil (or oil spray for the skillet)
Accompaniments
- Sauce Vierge (French salsa/vinaigrette for fish)
- Chervil sprigs (or substitute with small flat leaf or curly parsley leaves or small edible flowers, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare resting tray: Place a rack on a tray to allow the tuna steaks to rest properly after cooking without becoming soggy.
- Oil and season tuna: Drizzle half the olive oil over the tuna and smear evenly on one side. Sprinkle half the salt and pepper. Flip and repeat on the other side.
- Heat skillet: Heat a skillet, preferably with grill lines, over high heat until it is smoking hot. This ensures a great sear and caramelization.
- Oil skillet (if required): If the skillet isn’t well-seasoned, brush it lightly with olive oil or carefully spray with oil when off the stove to prevent sticking.
- Cook first side: Place the tuna steak in the hot skillet (cook one at a time for best results). Cook undisturbed for 45 seconds to develop grill marks.
- Rotate for grill lines: Turn the steak 45 degrees to create crosshatch grill lines and cook for another 45 seconds on the same side.
- Cook other side: Flip the tuna carefully and cook for 1 minute or until the internal temperature reaches 48°C (118°F) for rare to medium-rare doneness.
- Rest: Remove the tuna from the skillet and place it on the rack to rest for 5 minutes. This lets the fish cool to near room temperature and makes slicing easier and more enjoyable.
- Serve: Serve tuna steaks with sauce vierge and garnish with chervil or parsley sprigs, or edible flowers as preferred.
Notes
- Note 1: Tuna steaks should be about 2.5-3cm thick for optimal searing and cooking times.
- Note 2: Sauce vierge is a classic French vinaigrette with fresh tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, and lemon juice—perfect for light fish dishes.
- Note 3: Resting the tuna on a rack prevents the base from steaming and losing its crust.
- Note 4: When spraying oil on the pan, always remove it from the heat to avoid flare-ups or injury.
- Note 5: Cooking one steak at a time ensures even heat and proper searing.
- Note 6: Internal temperature of 48°C (118°F) corresponds to rare to medium-rare tuna, which maintains moistness and delicate texture.
- Note 7: Resting allows the tuna to cool, making it easier to slice thinly without breaking apart.
