Cook Tuna Steak

Tuna is a versatile fish, and there are dozens ways of preparing and serving it. Tuna steaks are especially thick cuts, so they can take longer to cook. They are usually marinated prior to cooking, but you can also just drizzle with oil instead. This article will show you how to cook tuna steak in the following ways: grilling, pan-searing, broiling, and baking.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 4 tuna steaks, 4-oz (115 g) each
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) garlic powder

Steps

Part One: Marinating

1. Mix the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Transfer to a large resealable plastic bag.
   • The marinating step is only optional. You can skip the marinade altogether and simply brush the tuna steaks with olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh herbs before cooking it. Marinades penetrate into the tuna further, however, creating a more flavorful dish.
   • Experiment with marinades as desired. You can use commercial and homemade marinades as long as you combine both an acid and an oil. Asian-inspired flavors are used especially often with tuna steaks.
2. Clean and dry the fish. Rinse the tuna steaks under cool, running water and pat dry with clean paper towels.
   • Rinsing the fish removes any sticky or dirty residue on the surface.
3. Marinate the tuna for at least 15 minutes. Add the tuna steaks to the bag of marinade and seal. Give the bag a good shake to coat all sides of the tuna.
   • Make sure that there is as little air as possible inside the bag as the tuna marinates.
   • Keep the tuna and the marinade in the refrigerator.
   • The tuna steaks can marinate anywhere from 15 minutes to four hours.

Part Two: Grilling

1. Prepare the grill. Spray the grill rack with nonstick cooking spray.
   • You could also lightly oil the rack with olive oil or vegetable oil. You simply need some sort of greasy coating to prevent the tuna steaks from sticking.
2. Preheat the grill. The grill needs to be set up for medium heat.
   • If using a charcoal grill, evenly spread several layers of coal over the bottom of the grill. You do not need a huge pile, but you need more than a single layer of coals. Light the coals and allow them to burn down until a fine layer of ash begins to form on them.
   • Preheat the grill the medium-high. After several minutes pass, reduce the heat down to medium.
3. Grill the tuna steaks. Tuna steaks will usually need to cook for roughly four to six minutes per one-half inch (1.27-cm) thickness. Turn once in the middle of the cooking process to promote even cooking.
   • Leave the grill uncovered if using charcoal but cover it if using gas.
   • The tuna is finished once you can flake it with a fork, but it is generally left pink in the center. Cook longer if you want a more well-done tuna steak without any pink in the center.
   • Baste with any leftover marinade when you turn the tuna steaks halfway through cooking them. Do not use the marinade past this point, however, since it may not be exposed to the heat of the grill long enough to have the bacteria cooked out of it.
4. Serve at desired temperature. Tuna steaks can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Part Three: Pan-Frying

1. Heat oil inside a large skillet. Add 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat for several minutes.
   • Make sure the oil is plenty hot. Drip a drop or two of water into the skillet. If it sizzles and immediately evaporates, the skillet is ready. Be careful as this can cause a flame up.
   • You could also use vegetable oil or other types of cooking oil.
2. Sear the tuna steaks. Add the fish to the hot oil in the pan and cook for 6 to 9 minutes.
   • The steaks should start to sizzle as soon as you add them. If they do not, take them out of the pan and allow the oil to continue heating. You need the oil to be hot enough to sear the tuna, trapping the moisture inside.
   • Turn the tuna steaks over once, after 3 to 5 minutes pass, so that both sides are evenly seared.
   • Do not cover the skillet.
   • The fish is considered done once you can begin flaking it with a fork, but some pink is generally left in the center. If this does not appeal to you, though, you can continue cooking the tuna until it reaches your desired level of doneness.
3. Serve the steaks at your preferred temperature. You can serve them immediately after removing them from the heat, or you can allow them to cool to room temperature.

Part Four: Broiling

1. Preheat the broiler. Prepare a broiler pan by lightly coating the interior rack with nonstick cooking spray.
   • Allow the broiler to preheat for 5 to 10 minutes.
   • If your broiler has separate "high" and "low" settings, preheat the broiler to high.
   • Coating the broiler pan rack with cooking spray is only optional, but it is a good idea since the spray will prevent the tuna from sticking too severely to the rack.
2. Transfer the tuna steaks to the broiler pan. Position the tuna steaks in a single layer, spaced evenly apart.
3. Broil the tuna for 3 minutes per side. After 3 minutes, flip the tuna steaks over to the other side and return to the broiler for an additional 3 minutes or until done.
   • Place the broiler pan on the top rack of the oven, roughly 4 inches (10 cm) away from the top heating element.
   • Tuna steaks are generally considered done once the fish can be flaked with a fork, but the middle is often left pink. You can leave the tuna in for an additional 1 or 2 minutes if you feel uncomfortable consuming it with a pink center.
4. Serve the tuna steaks when done. Let them cool slightly for several minutes before serving or allow them to cool longer until they drop to room temperature.

Part Five: Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF (232ºC). Prepare a baking sheet by coating it with nonstick cooking spray.
   • You can also opt to cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Transfer the tuna steaks to the prepared baking sheet. Position the tuna so that the steaks are spaced evenly apart on a single layer.
3. Bake until done. The tuna steaks need to bake for approximately 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch (1.27-cm) thickness.
   • The fish is considered done once you can begin flaking it with a fork. It is generally served with some pink in the center, but if desired, you can continue cooking it for several additional minutes or until the pink vanishes completely.
   • You do not need to turn the tuna at all as it bakes.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature. Tuna steaks can be served either fresh from the oven or slightly cooled.

Things You'll Need

• Small bowl
• Whisk
• Resealable plastic bag
• Paper towels
• Grill
• Skillet
• Oven
• Refrigerator
• Baking sheet
• Broiler pan
• Nonstick cooking spray, aluminum foil, or parchment paper
• Heat-resistant flat spatula
• Fork

Sources and Citations

See also

• Gaff a Tuna
• Make Tuna Helper
• Make Ahi Poke
• Make a Tuna Casserole
• Cook Ahi Tuna
• Sear Tuna
• Make a Tuna Melt