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!
