How to Cook Tuna Steak
Master the art of searing fresh tuna steak to a perfect medium-rare with a crisp seasoned crust, tender ruby-pink center, and vibrant citrus finish in under 10 minutes.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Cast iron skillet or heavy griddle pan
- ✓ Kitchen tongs
- ✓ Chef's knife
- ✓ Cutting board
- ✓ Paper towels
- ✓ Mortar and pestle
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Fresh tuna steaks (approx. 2-3 cm thick)
- ✓ Extra virgin olive oil
- ✓ Flaky sea salt
- ✓ Whole black peppercorns
- ✓ Fennel seeds or dried oregano
- ✓ Fresh lemon
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Ensure tuna is fresh or sushi-grade if serving medium-rare or rare with a pink center.
- • Place tuna gently away from you into the hot pan to avoid hot oil splashing onto skin.
- • Use heat-resistant oven mitts when handling a cast iron skillet over high heat.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Dry and Prep the Tuna Steaks
Remove the tuna steaks from the refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking to take off the chill. Pat every surface thoroughly with paper towels to remove all surface moisture. Place the dried steaks onto a clean cutting board.
- • Tuna surface is matte and dry with no pooled liquid or moisture sheen.
- • Skipping drying, which causes the fish to steam rather than sear.
Crush Aromatics and Season the Board
Crush black peppercorns and fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle until coarsely cracked. Scatter the crushed spices, flaky sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil directly onto the cutting board. Press and drag all sides of the tuna steaks through the seasoning on the board until fully coated.
- • Even speckling of crushed seeds, pepper, and coarse salt adhered to all faces and edges of the tuna.
- • Oiling the hot pan instead of the fish, which creates excessive smoke and burns the oil.
Preheat the Skillet
Place your cast iron skillet or heavy griddle pan over high heat without adding oil. Allow it to heat for 3 to 4 minutes until faint wisps of heat shimmer or light smoke rise from the surface.
- • Visible heat waves rising from dry pan; a drop of water evaporates instantaneously.
- • Adding fish to a lukewarm pan, causing sticking and rapid overcooking.
Sear the First Side
Using tongs, lay the tuna steaks into the hot dry pan, slanting them away from you. Let the fish sear undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds. Watch the side of the steak as the cooked opaque line creeps roughly 2 to 3 millimeters up the edge.
- • A thin, crisp golden-brown crust on bottom edge with an opaque 2-3mm white band climbing the side.
- • Shifting or pressing down on the fish, which releases juices and prevents crisp crust formation.
Flip and Sear the Second Side
Gently flip the steaks over with your tongs onto an unopposed hot section of the pan. Sear for another 60 to 90 seconds for medium-rare, or just 45 seconds for a rare center. Turn the steaks onto their vertical edges for 10 seconds each to seal any exposed rim.
- • Both wide faces show deep caramelization while the side profile shows a distinct ruby-red/pink middle core flanked by thin white cooked bands.
- • Leaving the second side in the pan as long as the first, overcooking the interior.
Rest, Slice, and Dress
Transfer the tuna steaks to a clean cutting board and allow them to rest for 2 minutes. Slice the steaks diagonally against the grain into 1-centimeter thick slices using a sharp chef's knife. Fan out the slices, finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- • Neatly fanned slices revealing vibrant ruby/pink centers framed by a thin dark crust, lightly glistening with lemon and olive oil.
- • Using a dull knife that crushes or shreds the tender fish flesh instead of cutting cleanly.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Jamie Oliver — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Cast iron skillet? Heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet
- No Mortar and pestle? Side of a chef's knife or bottom of a heavy saucepan to crush spices