Food - Drink
The Correct Temperature For Cooking Tuna Steak
By HALDAN KIRSCH
Tuna steak is a great-tasting, nutritious option that holds its own against other well-loved fish like salmon. However, cooking whole cuts of tuna can be tricky due to their moisture content, and there's a narrow sliver between tuna steak that is dangerously undercooked and a dry, crumbly, overcooked mess.
One of the keys to cooking tuna steak properly is to buy a steak that is at least an inch thick, and has a consistent red coloring that indicates freshness. Keep the steak refrigerated until just before cooking it, since the cooler temperature will add some protection to the tuna's interior and make it harder to overcook.
Tuna steak is usually cooked so that the outside is seared while the interior is rare. Cook the steak for over a minute on each side in a pan or skillet at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove it from the heat when internal temp reaches 65 degrees; the temp can continue to rise up to 25 degrees more while the steak rests.
This cooking method aims for a lower internal temperature than the FDA's recommended temperature for fish, which is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Just like runny eggs or rare beef steak, cooking tuna this way poses some risks, but it creates a perfectly moist interior that elevates the tuna's natural flavors.