Seared Tuna Steak on Charcoal

Method

1. Buy it thick and fresh

   Thin tuna cooks through before it can sear. You want steaks at least 2.5cm thick, as fresh as you can get, ideally sushi-grade if you are serving it rare.

2. Clean, hot grate

   Scrub the grate and get it as hot as the fire allows. Tuna sticks to anything less than a hot clean surface, and a stuck steak tears.

3. Oil the fish, season

   Pat dry, oil the tuna lightly, and season just before cooking.

4. Sixty to ninety seconds a side

   Straight over the hottest coals. A minute to ninety seconds a side, no more. You want a thin cooked band and a raw ruby centre, around 45°C (110°F) if you probe it.

5. Slice and dress

   Rest a minute, then slice thickly across the grain. Serve with soy, sesame and lemon, or a sharp herb dressing.

Notes worth knowing

• Cooking tuna through makes it dry, grey and pointless. If you do not like it rare, buy a cheaper fish.
• A crust of sesame seeds pressed on before searing is a classic and adds texture.
• Rare tuna needs genuinely fresh fish. If you are unsure, ask the fishmonger whether it is safe to eat rare.

Common questions

Can I eat grilled tuna rare?

Yes, provided it is fresh and from a reputable source; sushi-grade is the safe bet. Searing the outside and leaving the middle raw is the standard way to cook a good tuna steak.

Why does my tuna stick to the grill?

The grate is not hot enough or not clean enough, or the fish was wet. Scrub the bars, get them screaming hot, and dry and oil the tuna.