So tonight we had some tuna left over from our sushi from last night. Never letting good food go to waste we decided to have seared tuna. In selecting your tuna, you want to look for sushi grade tuna. We got a 1 lb steak of part Maguro and part Toro Tuna. Toro refers to the fattier underbelly of the tuna which is fattier (relatively) and much more tender and tasty. To kill parasites in any meats you either have to use heat or extreme cold. Sushi grade tuna always will have been flash frozen to kill parasites thus making the meat uninhabitable. If the tuna or any fish for that matter is labeled as sushi grade it is supposed to be suitable for raw consumption making sushi or seared tuna steaks perfectly harmless (just in case you were afraid of a little raw fish). The majority of the harmful parasites comes from freshwater fish which is why you should never see a spicy bass roll at your reputable sushi place. Now with all the messy parts out the way I’m sure you’re still hungry..
I started out with two steaks that were about a half-inch thick. Cayenne pepper and coarse sea salt were sprinkled on both sides of the tuna, no measurements, just enough to get around the whole tuna not drenching it. I splashed a bit of Worcestershire sauce on both sides, you could also use soy sauce, and I sprinkled it with a dash of sugar. This could have been added to the sauce but it’s all going to the same place. Next you will get a cast iron nice and hot, medium high heat will do just fine. Combine about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of warmed butter in a bowl and mix. Add to the cast iron. Next you want to add about a half of a tablespoon of whole peppercorns to the oil butter mixture and cook for about five minutes. The peppercorns will soften and start to pop almost like popcorn. With a wooden spoon help crack all the remaining peppercorns that didn’t pop on you. Turn the heat up to high and place the tuna steaks in the pan. You will cook for one minute on each side for a half-inch steaks or a minute an a half if slightly thicker. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with your favorite sides.
To me this is a great red meat steak alternative. It has a great meaty flavor and is break apart in your mouth tender. The cayenne pepper doesn’t add a spicy flavor but more of an earthy one. The peppercorns are not nearly as strong as when they are freshly crushed so this helps give a great earthy peppery taste without turning up the heat. If you’re a rare steak fan then I implore you to try this, you won’t be disappointed.
Single Ingredient Project 
