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Beer and FoodSUPPLIES
- Tuna steaks, at least 1 inch thick
- Clean gas grill or broiler
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Overview
There are many varieties of tuna, including yellowfin, albacore, bluefin and skipjack. Tuna steaks come from the loins cut from tuna fish. Tuna steaks tend to have low or moderate amounts of fat, since the fattiest cuts are often reserved for sushi. Tuna steaks have a mild flavor and firm flesh. Their firm flesh helps them withstand more aggressive cooking methods, such as broiling, roasting, grilling and sautéing. They take on flavors from marinades easily. Tuna cooks very quickly, which is important because tuna cooked past medium rare tends to be dry.
Step 1
Prepare your grill so that the grill rack is 4 inches away from the coals. Light your grill and let it heat up. If using a broiler, move your rack so that your broiling pan will be 3 inches away from the broiling element.
Step 2
While your grill is preheating, rinse your tuna steaks under cold, clean water, and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Step 3
Brush each side of the tuna steaks with olive oil, and salt and pepper each side to taste.
Step 4
Once the grill or broiler is preheated, place your tuna steaks on the heat and cook until the side facing the heat is just browned. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 5
Flip the tuna steaks so the uncooked side faces the heat, and cook that side until just browned, about another 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 6
Remove the tuna steaks from the heat, and let them rest for just a few minutes before serving. During this resting period, they will continue to cook as their internal temperature continues to rise.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Use thick steaks, at least 1 inch thick, because they will be more difficult to overcook.
Tuna steaks will continue to cook after they are removed from the heat, so watch them carefully while cooking. Remove the steaks when their internal temperature reaches 120 degrees F. You'll want to cook the tuna steaks only to rare because cooking them longer will dry them out.
Tuna steaks take marinades well. Common marinade ingredients include combinations of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs. Experiment with your own combinations, tasting the marinade as you go along and adjusting to your liking. Don't add the tuna steaks to the marinade until you reach the flavor you want. Marinade the tuna steaks for at least 30 minutes in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.
