When you don't have a lot of time or motivation, blackened tuna steaks are a fantastic way to add heaps of flavor and spice into a toothsome piece of fish.
This recipe is so simple it almost doesn't require a recipe.
But we included it on this site because fresh tuna is so widely available. And we like this recipe because it doesn't have the usual suspects paired with tuna steaks such as olives or fruit.
For sashimi grade tuna, you could also make Hawaiian poke. But for regular ahi tuna in the supermarket (or Costco) that is not designated as sushi grade, blackening the tuna is great way to enjoy the fresh tuna flavor with some spice.
This pairs well with our favorite side dishes like wild rice fried rice or an Asian tomato salad.
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Ingredients
You don't need much for this recipe. You may already have the spice in your house. The key is having the tuna as fresh as possible.
You'll want to make this the day you buy the fresh tuna or the next day.
- Fresh tuna steaks - If the tuna steaks are not already cut into roughly 1" - 1 ½" thick steaks. Usually 1 lb of tuna will come as a wide piece that is already about an inch thick or it will be smaller and thicker. If it is on the thicker side, you should sliced it in half lengthwise using a sharp knife. We use ahi tuna in this recipe. Ahi tuna has that beautiful pink color when you slice it. However fresh yellowfin or albacore tuna will work too.
- Olive oil - Extra virgin or regular olive oil will work. Or even the cooking oil of your choice. We like avocado oil too.
- Cajun seasoning - These blends vary so much from brand to brand. Some can be very spicy or very salty. Cajun seasoning usually consists of salt, black and or white pepper, and red pepper at the very least. It can also include oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, and other herbs. You could make your own blend, but for the ease of this recipe, we use a store bought blend.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
If you don't like the Cajun seasoning blend you have, you won't like it when it's put on top of tuna.
If you're unsure about the brand you have, use half the amount on the tuna steaks. When you eat it, add salt and pepper to taste. The next time you try the recipe, you can add more spice.
We like the Gumbo Shop brand of cajun seasoning. We don't like Montreal Grill seasoning because it has too much black pepper.
See the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
With just a few easy steps, you can have a main course on the table in 15 minutes!
Rub the tuna steaks with olive oil so the spices will stick to it.
Spread the seasoning all over both sides of the tuna.
Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat with oil.
Sear the tuna on both sides, flipping every 2 minutes until golden, dark brown.
Hint: To slice the tuna, it is not a finicky as beef where you must go against the grain. You also don't need to wait for the tuna to rest to let the juices sink back into the meat because there is not really any juices that will run out of it.
Blackening Cooking Technique
Popularized by the one and only Chef Paul Prudhomme, blackening is classic cooking technique used in Cajun cuisine.
Butter is typically used as the cooking fat. When it is charred in the pan, the milk solids from the butter also brown and lend to the flavor and color of the dish.
Butter, however, can turn from golden brown to black very quickly. Black milk solids taste burned and icky.
Therefore the cooking technique with butter requires a little bit of skill to ensure you don't overcook the fish but still cook the fish long enough so the butter turns brown.
This recipe uses oil instead of butter. It's easier to cook without burning, and it is dairy free.
Variations
Once you blacken one thing, you'll want to blacken everything!
- Try this technique with other types of hearty fish such as cod, rockfish, or even swordfish.
- Jerk Spice - Another bold flavor. You can use the same technique but substitute a jerk seasoning blend for some Caribbean flair.
- Tuna Tacos - Slice the tuna into strips and stuff into warmed tortillas with the salsa of your choice for Taco Tuesday!
Equipment
A 10 inch skillet is a great size for 1 lb of tuna steaks. The Oxo brand skillet is pictured. A well seasoning cast iron skillet will work great too.
A pair of nonstick friendly tongs that won't damage the nonstick skillet coating also makes it easier to flip the tuna teaks.
Storage
Fresh tuna should be cooked within 3 days of taking it home from the market. Ideally, you should cook it the day of or the next day.
Once the tuna is cooked, you should consume within 3 days.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator soon after cooking, rather than leaving it on the dinner table for a few hours.
Fresh tuna is already frozen and defrosted by the time you buy it.
Freezing it again after cooking is not recommended, since the tuna is not fully cooked only seared in this blackening method.
FAQ
It tastes spicy, peppery, savory, and bold. It contrasts nicely with the "meatiness" of the toothsome tuna steaks. It has enough flavor on its own and does not need a sauce.
For a cooling effect, you might see blackened tuna served with a fresh fruit salsa such as chopped mango with red onion, chopped cilantro, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Other recipes may include a mayonnaise based remoulade. But classically, the Cajun technique of blackening does not require a sauce. The blackening is the "sauce."
Ahi is the Hawaiian term for pink tuna that includes yellow fin tuna and big eye tuna. Yellow fin tuna is less expensive than the prized big eye tuna.
Blackened tuna is most often served seared where both sides of the tuna are subjected to high heat in the pan, leaving the center of the tuna still pink inside. The searing kills the harmful bacteria that collect on the surface of the fish. The searing will also warm the center of the tuna. You can use a thermometer probe to check that the center of the tuna reaches 130 degrees F.
Yes, this technique works just as well on an oiled and hot grill. Just take care that the grill grates are well oiled and do not try to flip the tuna steak if it is sticking to grill. Wait patiently and the tuna will eventually release itself from the grates when it is ready to be flipped.
Top tip
Blacken but don't overcook!
Just sear the outside of the tuna steaks, but they should still have plenty of pink flesh inside when you cut into it.
Related Recipes
Looking for other seafood recipes? Try these:
Pairing with Other Dishes
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Blackened Tuna:
Recipe
Blackened Tuna Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 lb ahi tuna steaks cut into about 1 inch steaks, see Note 1
- 1 Tb olive oil for the tuna
- 1 Tb cajun seasoning see Note 2
- 1 teaspoon olive oil for the pan
Instructions
- Rub both sides of the tuna steaks using about 1 Tb of olive oil total. Your choice to use extra virgin olive oil or regular olive oil. (We use extra virgin).
- Rub the cajun seasoning all over both sides of the tuna steaks.
- Heat your nonstick skillet over medium heat. Depending on the thickness of your pan, this may take 3-5 minutes. If you put your hand an inch or two above the surface of the pan, you should feel a gentle heat radiating from it.
- Drop in the 1 teaspoon of oil. It should slightly shimmer and spread easily across the whole pan.
- Gently lay in the tuna steaks. Cook for 2 minutes and flip to the other side. I find it easiest to use tongs though a nonstick friendly spatula will work too.
- Cook the tuna steaks another 2 minutes. Flip again and repeat 2 min on the 1st side and another 2 minutes on the 2nd side.
- Depending on how hot your pan was, you will want to keep flipping for a 1-2 minutes on each side until the spice coating has deepened to a nice dark brown color and might even be black in some parts.
- Remove tuna steaks to a serving plate or to a cutting board if you want to slice them. They do not need to rest like beef, chicken or pork steaks would. The tuna can be eaten right away.
Notes
Food safety
- Cook fresh tuna to a minimum temperature of 130 °F (55 °C)
- Don't leave fresh fish sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds such as avocado oil and some extra virgin olive oils.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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