Seared Tuna with Sesame Seed Crust
Learn the secret to making perfectly Seared Tuna with a Sesame Seed Crust in just 10 minutes flat. A healthy, delicious ahi tuna recipe that is flavorful and easy to make.
Servings: 2 to 4
Equipment
- Cast-iron skillet
- Tongs
- Splatter Guard
- Metal Spatula
Ingredients
- 10-16 ounces ahi tuna, thawed (sushi-grade) see notes
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos
- 2 tablespoons high heat oil for searing- peanut oil wok oil, avocado
Sesame Crust:
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds black, or both black and white
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder or onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or dried thyme
Instructions
- Mix the Sesame Crust ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Pat dry the ahi tuna with paper towels.
- Place ahi tuna on a plate, coat all sides with soy sauce. This will help the sesame spice adhere to the tuna.
- Generously sprinkle all sides of the ahi tuna with the sesame mix, pressing it down into the flesh. Coat the sides. Read through the rest of the directions before starting because the next part goes very quickly.
- The goal here is to get a nice golden sear on all sides without cooking the ahi tuna all the way through. HOT PAN is key.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, until very very hot. Turn your hood fan on. Place tongs, metal spatula and splatter guard (or lid) near the stove. When the pan is hot a flick of water should sizzle loudly. Once the skillet is hot, turn the fan on high. Add the oil and coat the pan and let it get hot. Carefully lay the tuna in the pan, pressing it down into the skillet with a metal spatula. Sear 45-60 seconds- checking the underneath by lifting one corner to see if it is golden. When deeply golden, carefully flip. If not golden, turn the heat up. Sear the other side, 60-90 seconds until golden. Sear the long edges using tongs to hold it upright.
- Place on a cutting board, blot if you like, then using a very sharp knife, thinly slice, and serve.
- At this point, you could also refrigerate up to 3 days, and serve this later, chilled. Either way is good.
Notes
The sesame crust is slightly on the salty side. I really like this, especially when sliced thin- but feel free to lower salt just a bit — to 3/4 teaspoon.
Make sure to “sushi-grade” ahi tuna, or if using fresh, make sure it is a trusted source. Google Saku Tuna for online resources. Read post body for where to find this locally- sushi restaurants, grocery stores with house-made Sushi will often sell frozen Saku Tuna or Saku block if you ask.
