Tuna steak is a delicious fish dish. Whether you buy frozen tuna steaks or take them out of the freezer, you need to thaw them before you can process them. You can do this using the refrigerator or microwave. Once the tuna steak is no longer frozen, you can process it by seared cooking or grilling it to make a delicious dish.
Ingredients
Tuna Steak with Seared Technique
For 2 servings
- 2 tuna steaks
- 2 tbsp. salty soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Grilling Tuna Steak
For 4 servings
- 4 slices of tuna steak, 110 g each
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 2 sprigs tarragon (leaves and roots removed)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons lemon peel
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Step
Method 1 of 4: Defrosting Tuna in the Fridge
Step 1. Let the tuna steaks in the package thaw
Fish are usually sold in plastic bags or other plastic packaging. For tuna steaks and other fish, you don't need to remove them from the bag when defrosting them. Frozen tuna will thaw properly even if wrapped in a plastic bag.
Step 2. Place the tuna pieces in the refrigerator
Remember not to put the tuna steak at room temperature in the kitchen or anywhere else in the house. Fish are easily damaged. The refrigerator will defrost the tuna, but keep it cool at the same time. Defrosting the tuna at room temperature will thaw the outer layer of the tuna while the inner layer will be damaged.
Use a thermometer to make sure the refrigerator is 5 °C or colder. That's the right temperature to defrost the fish
Step 3. Leave the tuna steaks in the refrigerator overnight
While it may only take a few hours to thaw frozen tuna in the refrigerator, you should make sure the tuna is completely thawed before processing it. If you leave it in the refrigerator overnight, the tuna will have enough time to thaw properly.
Do not leave tuna steaks in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours. The longer the fish is in the refrigerator, the more likely it is to spoil
Step 4. Remove the tuna steak from the refrigerator the next day
Once the tuna steaks have thawed overnight in the refrigerator, you can take them out. Remove the tuna steak from the plastic bag and check to make sure you don't find any frost or ice.
Method 2 of 4: Using the Microwave to Defrost Tuna
Step 1. Weigh the tuna steak with a scale
Most microwaves come with manuals with instructions on how to defrost various types of frozen food. Usually the first step is to weigh the tuna steak. Place the tuna on a kitchen scale or you can cover the surface of the scale with a paper towel first.
Record the weight of the tuna steak on a piece of paper or a cell phone
Step 2. Set the microwave to defrost setting and add the weight of the tuna steak
If the microwave doesn't prompt you to add the weight of the tuna, defrost it at 5-minute intervals. If you're asked to enter the weight of the tuna, the microwave will show you how long it will take to defrost.
Step 3. Check the tuna steak every 5 minutes to see if you can bend it
After 5 minutes, remove the fish from the microwave and use only a little force to see if you can bend it. If the fish is still too stiff or firm, put it back in the microwave and reheat for another 5 minutes.
- Flip the fish after the first 5 minutes. You should thaw the fish evenly so that it will be easier for you to cook it.
- Don't worry if you can bend the fish but it still looks frozen or cold. Once you can bend it easily, it means the fish is thawed.
Method 3 of 4: Making Tuna Steaks with the Seared Technique
Step 1. Drizzle the tuna steak with soy sauce, oil, salt and pepper
Place the tuna steak on a clean plate. Pour 2 tbsp. soy sauce and 1 tbsp. olive oil over fish. Then sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
- Try to coat the entire tuna evenly when adding these ingredients.
- Use salt and pepper according to your taste. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you want to add dynamic flavor to the steak.
Step 2. Use a bowl or plastic bag clip to soak the tuna steaks in the marinade
Place the tuna steaks in a large bowl or plastic clip bag. You can marinate the tuna in the marinade for 10 minutes if you are in a hurry. If you have time, let the spices soak into the tuna steak overnight.
If your steaks are marinated overnight, you're sure to get the best out of every bite of steak as you eat them
Step 3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high or high heat
Pour 1 tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan and wait a few minutes until hot. Don't let the frying pan get too hot as the tuna steak will burn faster when you put it in the pan.
Step 4. Put the tuna steaks into the frying pan and cook with the seared technique
Do this cooking process for 2.5 minutes for each side to get half raw steaks. Cook for 2 minutes on each side for rare steaks, and 3 minutes on each side for half-cooked steaks.
Step 5. Cut the steak into several 1.5 cm thick slices and serve
Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into these size slices. You can serve the steak with scallions or on top of lettuce.
If you have any leftover tuna steaks, you can store them in the refrigerator and eat them within 3 days of refrigerating
Method 4 of 4: Grilling Tuna Steaks
Step 1. Rub the tuna steak with garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper
Place the tuna steak on a plate. Cut a clove of garlic and rub it on the tuna steak. Sprinkle salt and pepper according to your taste to add flavor.
Add a little cayenne pepper for added variety
Step 2. Put the tuna steaks in a plastic clip bag and soak them in the grated lemon zest
Open the plastic clip bag and add the tuna. Add 2 tbsp. grated lemon peel into plastic and cover. Shake the bag to spread the lemon zest over the tuna steaks.
You can also lay the plastic bag flat on a table or other surface and rub the lemon zest on the steak
Step 3. Open the bag and sprinkle olive oil over the tuna steak
Add 1 tbsp. olive oil into each bag and blow the air out of the bag before closing it again. Shake the bag so that the olive oil is evenly distributed over the tuna steaks.
Step 4. Place the tuna steak in the refrigerator overnight to allow the marinade to infuse
Let the tuna sit in a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight to allow the marinade to soak in. This will ensure that the grated lemon zest and olive oil are well absorbed into the tuna steak.
Remove the tuna steaks from the refrigerator the next morning before heating the grill
Step 5. Turn on the grill and let it heat for 15 to 20 minutes
The gas grill is easy to ignite. Make sure the lid is open when you turn on the grill. If you are using a charcoal grill, do not light it with flammable liquids as this will give the food a chemical taste. Use a charcoal burner to light a charcoal grill.
- The gas grill will take 10 minutes to get to the right heat. For your charcoal grill it will take about 20 minutes.
- Root burners can be purchased online or at stores that sell household appliances.
Step 6. Place the tuna steak on the grill
Remove the tuna steak from the plastic clip bag before placing it on the grill. Bake one side until the red starts to turn light brown on that side. Flip the tuna over to the other side and cook until you see only a small amount of pink remaining on the sides.
When all sides of the tuna are almost completely light brown, the roasting process is complete
Step 7. Serve the tuna steak
You can serve it with lettuce or your favorite sauce. Scallions also go well with tuna steaks.
