Seared Ahi Tuna with Mediterranean Style Pasta in Caper Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should tuna be cold before searing? ›

As noted above, keeping your fish chilled until the last moment is an important safety step, but beyond that, it's also thermally advantageous. Cold tuna presents a greater barrier to heat transfer than does warm tuna, making overcooking less likely. To get a quality sear, you need high heat.

You were likely taught to do this, with the idea that it's the best way to clean raw meat. In fact, washing tuna steaks (or any animal protein, really) prior to cooking is a terrible idea that does nothing in terms of removing harmful bacteria from the meat's surface.

Soy sauce

It's that salty, sweet, slightly bitter, and most importantly, umami element that makes soy sauce so beautifully balanced and ideal to go along with your raw tuna's mild, meaty flavor.

These Seared Ahi Tuna Steaks in the Cast Iron pan are absolutely delicious and so simple to make! The total prep and cook time is under 6 minutes. The Cast Iron Seared Tuna is a really baller home cooked date night meal main dish, and the fact that it is so incredibly easy to make is hard to truly believe.

The tuna can't be too dry before it hits the skillet, so give it a pat with a paper towel if you're unsure. Since oil has a higher smoke point than butter, it's perfect for searing ahi tuna steaks — but, if you're like Nicole, you might want to add a little butter anyway for extra flavor.

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.

Just marinate the tuna in a mixture of soy sauce, oil, salt, and pepper (with some cayenne for some heat, if you want) preferably for at least ten minutes, or overnight. For a typical ahi tuna steak (about 1.5″ thick), sear on each side for about two minutes (less time for rare; more time for medium).

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.

How does Gordon Ramsay sear tuna? ›

Chef Ramsay adds lime zest to the loin under the crust and again when plating to infuse fragrance throughout the dish. Searing happens quickly with tuna—only 30 seconds on each side over medium heat. If the pan gets too hot, add a touch of cold oil to keep the sesame seeds from burning.

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.

Generally, sear the steaks for 1-2 minutes on each side. Check that the temperature is at least 125 degrees. If necessary, move the tuna to a low-heat area of the grill to cook for a few more minutes until it reaches your desired doneness.

As for the cooking temperature, the best temperature to cook tuna steak in the pan is at 218 to 232 degrees Celsius. If you are using a heavy-bottom or cast iron pan, you need high heat to achieve the perfect sear on the tuna.

To help reduce the chances of the fish sticking to the grill, allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes to bring it up to room temperature. Then, using oil, generously coat both sides and add the seasoning of your choice to your fish before you place it on your cooking grates.

While it's understandable if you're feeling concerned about food safety, there's actually no need to worry. It won't take too long to bring the fish to room temperature — which is necessary for properly cooked tuna steaks — far less time than the maximum of two hours allowed by the USDA anyway.