Sesame-Seared Tuna Recipe

This recipe was fantastic, but I do have a few recommendations to make it even better. I decided to add a bit more honey and reduce the amount of sesame oil to just a tablespoon or less. I also made sure to include mirin, low-sodium soy sauce (as it was what I had on hand), and rice wine vinegar. Adding some wasabi paste to both the marinade and dipping sauce is essential for an extra kick of flavor. To ensure that the steaks cooked perfectly, I cut them to a thickness of about 1/2 to 3/4 inches and seared them for around 40 seconds. Thicker steaks tended to burn on the outside before cooking through to my preferred level of doneness (pink, not red in the middle). It's important to preheat the cast iron, but be mindful of reducing the heat to medium-high to prevent excessive smoke and setting off the smoke alarms. I found that sesame seeds didn't add much to the dish and tended to pop everywhere during searing, creating a mess. However, if you must use them, lightly toast them beforehand, then sprinkle them on the seared steaks just before serving to avoid a cleanup ordeal. I served the dish with plain rice or a mix of long grain and wild rice, which was perfect for soaking up the delicious dipping sauce. Overall, a wonderful recipe with a few tweaks to customize it to your liking.

I have prepared this recipe countless times over a span of more than a decade, and it continues to impress. I've made some modifications over time that have elevated the dish for my taste. One aspect that bothered me was the overly liquid consistency of the drizzling sauce, which tended to slide right off the fish and onto the plate. Recently, I decided to try a tip from Cooks Illustrated to thicken it into a glaze by increasing the sauce amount by 50%. After dividing the sauce into the portions for marinating and drizzling, I mixed the drizzling portion (containing rice vinegar) with a small amount of cornstarch in a pan and brought it to a boil. By simmering it until it thickened, I achieved a glaze that could be applied to coat the fish similar to the way restaurants do it, ensuring it stayed in place. The difference was remarkable!

I had never attempted to make a dish like this before, but after trying it at a restaurant, I used this recipe to recreate it at home. The result was fantastic! I made a couple of substitutions - I used white wine instead of mirin as I couldn't find it at my local store, and I toasted the sesame seeds and pressed them onto the seared ahi right after cooking. I served it with wasabi mashed potatoes and a crunchy slaw with a quick vinaigrette. In terms of quality, I tried making this with frozen ahi because I wasn't sure how it would turn out, and I didn't want to risk ruining a nice piece of fish. I prepared the marinade without vinegar and let the thawed fish marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. For the actual meal, I made a fresh batch of the sauce, this time with vinegar, for dipping. While the frozen ahi tasted great, I think using higher-quality fresh fish would have made a difference in the texture. Overall, we enjoyed it and plan to make it again with better quality fish next time.

Delicious! I had to replace mirin with white wine since I didn't have any, and I also added a bit of rice wine vinegar to the cooking and dipping sauces. I will definitely try it with mirin next time. I marinated the steaks in the sauce for about 30 minutes. Since my husband doesn't like rare meats, I cooked the tuna steaks for approximately 3 minutes per side for a medium-rare finish. We enjoyed them with rice noodles and stir-fried veggies, and they were a big hit! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

I have tried this recipe twice already and it was so simple and delicious! I followed the recipe almost exactly, but after reading some other reviews, I decided to toast the seeds first. I also doubled the dipping sauce, just to have extra - though the original amount would have been sufficient. The tuna turned out delicious; I cooked it for 45 seconds on each side since my steaks were 1.5 inches thick. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks, neworleansgiglet.

Review Update: I found this recipe to be quite enjoyable, especially when paired with the delicious dipping sauce. Personally, I felt that the sesame seed crust was a bit overwhelming. I followed the advice of others and only used 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Next time, I plan to sprinkle the sesame seeds lightly on the steaks for a more even and lighter coating. My wife absolutely adored the dish and was impressed by the perfect sear on the steak. I recommend keeping the cooking time short on each side over medium-high heat for best results!

This dish turned out incredibly amazing! I prepared a Ponzu marinade using soy sauce, sesame oil, lemon juice, and wasabi. I dipped the steak in the sauce for a few seconds and coated it with seeds, ensuring the steak was fully covered. I cooked it over medium-high heat in a pan until slightly toasted on each side.

I have a suggestion to enhance this technique. Consider using tongs to sear the sides of the tuna as well. This simple step only takes a few seconds, improves the presentation, and helps prevent overcooking the tuna. By searing the sides, you can achieve a more appealing look without keeping the tuna flat in the pan for too long.

I have made this recipe twice in the past month, determined to get it right! The first time, the high heat and olive oil caused excessive smoke, and searing the tuna steaks for just 30 seconds on each side led to burnt sesame seeds. For my second attempt, I switched to avocado oil for frying and mixed the wasabi into the soy sauce dipping sauce, which made a huge difference. I used rice vinegar instead of mirin since I couldn't find it, and the meal turned out fantastic! With these adjustments, I will definitely be making it again.

We absolutely adored this recipe! We opted for tamari instead of soy sauce due to gluten sensitivities, and it turned out absolutely perfect. The whole family loved it. I paired it with avocado slices, salad, and oranges, and it was a huge hit. I can't wait to make it again!

I decided to enhance the flavor by increasing the amount of honey and substituting balsamic vinegar for Mirin.

Absolutely delicious! I suggest searing it for about 15 seconds (or more) on each side. It was truly fantastic.

Here's the rewritten review: I have prepared this dish numerous times and absolutely adore it. While browsing through reviews, I came across one that recommended slicing the tuna fillets into thinner pieces and skipping the sesame seeds. Everyone has their own preferences. I personally find it easy to achieve the perfect level of doneness when cooking the fish in my trusty old cast iron skillet. I prefer my tuna to be rare to medium rare. I have never encountered any issues with the sesame seeds I use. However, I do recommend being a bit cautious with the amount of soy sauce added, as it can overpower the delicate flavor of the tuna. For the best experience, make sure not to overcook the fish.

Raising 'rare' fish to the perfect level of doneness can be tricky, but cooking it any longer would risk making it dry and less flavorful. So, I say yes, keeping it pink is the way to go because it is absolutely delicious!

Followed the instructions perfectly, but unfortunately my frying pan caught on fire.

Absolutely delicious! My husband caught fresh blackfin from the Gulf, and this recipe blew us away! It was like a taste of heaven on earth!

I absolutely adored it! I followed the recipe to a tee. I've always wanted to try making tuna like this and I'm so happy I found this recipe!

My favorite recipe for seared tuna. I adore how simple it is to prepare this dish. The flavors are fantastic. I typically pair it with a Wakame Salad, pickled ginger, wasabi, and Sriracha sauce.

Super simple and incredibly tasty