Seared Ahi Tuna w/Hasty Bake Rub and Spice

Prep time:

15 minutes

Cook time:

10 minutes

Difficulty level:

Simple

Ahi Tuna steaks are one of my favorite “non-beef” steaks. I am a sushi fanatic so when I got my Hasty-Bake, I immediately gravitated toward ahi-tuna and cooking things geared in that direction. This recipe is quick and easy and full of flavor! Pair it with a simple sauce made of 2 parts mayo, 1 part sesame ginger dressing (oil based), and 1/2 part low sodium soy sauce and you have yourself a fantastic ahi tuna appetizer that will wow the masses.

In most cases, ahi tuna can be purchased in the meat department at your local grocery store. Also, if you don’t live on the coast where the fish is fresh caught, most of the time it will be sold to you as “previously frozen”. You can ask the butcher behind the counter if this is so when you go to purchase. If the fish is previously frozen and has thawed when you go to purchase it, I would purchase it with the intent of cooking it either that night or within the next 24 hours. IF the fish is still frozen when you buy it, assuming it hasn’t elevated to any temp above 42 degrees, you can put it straight into the freezer when you get home to cook another night.

The thing is, when meat is frozen, some of the cell walls start to break down within. Going from fresh to frozen then thawing then frozen again then thawed again can really take a toll when it comes to flavor. There are some interesting articles out there about products that you should never re-freeze if you want a bit of “light reading”. Hence, that is why fresh food tastes better than frozen in most cases. It can also be why fresh product is more expensive that frozen.

No matter what, keep those steaks below 42 degrees until they go on the grill. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 lbs raw ahi tuna steaks
1 tsp olive oil
Hasty-Bake Rub N’ Spice
cayenne pepper to taste
course ground black pepper
2 tbls unsalted butter
2 tsps lemon juice
thinly sliced green onion for garnish

Instructions

Rinse tuna steaks and pat dry.
Rub olive oil on steaks, not too much, just enough to allow the seasoning and rub to stick.
Generously season all sides of the steak with Hasty-Bake Rub N’Spice and sprinkle with cayenne and course ground black pepper. A little bit of cayenne pepper goes a long way ! – Set Aside
Prepare your Hasty-Bake for searing! If you aren’t cooking on a Hasty-Bake, you would prepare your grill for high heat or direct grilling over a bed of charcoal. Immediately place your cast iron skillet on the grill surface over the fire while your grill is heating.
Once your skillet is hot, add butter and lemon juice. Then place your steaks in the skillet and sear for 2-4 mins per side depending on the thickness. Ahi tuna is typically served less that 110 degrees internal temp which is borderline raw. The thing is, the more this particular fish is cooked, the less flavor there is. The inside of the steak will be almost as pink as it was raw and the outside will be almost white with a brown crust. Like the picture above
Once seared and removed from grill, slice tune against the grain into strips, drizzle the sauce mentioned above over the top and add the green onion. Serve with crostinis or over a bed of greens for an amazing appetizer or light meal.