Yellowfin tuna on BBQ

[2thepointsetters]

I brought yellowfin tuna back to Minnesota from Cabo and I could use some advice on cooking it. It was staked, vacuum packed and frozen last week while I was down there so it is fairly fresh. We ate fresh tuna and dorado while we there and was great so I decided to take some home. They blackened it there and we really liked the taste and texture. I have not grilled fish besides salmon. My question is how do make the blackened seasoning and do you have to coat the fish before you apply seasoning. ( we coat walleye in egg before putting batter on it) How long does it normally take to BBQ tuna and do you need the BBQ really hot while cooking it. Any other tips would be great and appreciated.

[OnAFly]

Use cajun seasoning as your blackening seasoning nothing additional needed. Grill hot, cook rare, slice and serve.

I have also heard of coating in sesame seeds and doing the same method. With this, I would use soy sauce mixed with chile paste as a dipping sauce.

[bak2MN]

I have done them on a George forman grill and are awesome. I have grilled them and have tried them alot of ways seasoned with everything under the sun. It don't matter what you put on them they are awesome. On a regualar grill just like stated above. Enjoy!!!

[2thepointsetters]

I like the George Foreman grill idea. It seems like that way it would be impossible to mess it up. How long did you cook them that way?

[mainbutter]

I've never seen or had tuna blackened before, but I bet it'd be great. Grilling something hot with some spices isn't the traditional cajun "blackened fish" technique.

Blackened fish, as in blackened redfish, is essentially made as such:

Melt butter. Coat fish in butter. Mix spices. Coat buttered fillet in spices. Get frying pan HOT HOT HOT. Blacken both sides (you're blackening the butter and seasoning, not burning the fish), and cook the fillet all the way through.

Tuna at my house is treated like a nice slab of beef, think a T bone or strip steak. Lightly season, throw on a hot grill, cook rare. I tend to grill my tuna rarer than I do my beef, and even have a fairly cool red center. You can do all sorts of awesome things, like slice it thin for an appetizer or have on a sandwich, or even use the whole steak to replace a burger patty. I love tuna-steak burgers with guacamole.

Hope that gives you a couple of things to try, I wish I had some yellowfin tuna in my freezer!

[bak2MN]

2thepoint, I dont recall how long I left them on, as it was quite awhile ago. But if I remember it didn't take to long.

[OnAFly]

MB - thanks for the tip. I'll try the butter next time. I usually just go dry, but adding butter can't hurt.

[LABS4ME]

Chef Prudhommes Redfish Magic seasoning is perfect for blackened fish... And MB is correct you blacken in a cat iron skillet. I too, love blackened fish but have never used tuna. I usually grill that,

Rub crushed garlic on fillet, Baste a ltl olive oil on in, salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like, grill to med rare hot and fast, add some finely chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. Serve with pico de gallo or chutney on the side... Fresh fruit one work great, mango pineapple etc.

Good luck!

Ken

[Crow Hunter]

+1 on the Prudhomme redfish magic- that is what I use to blacken fish, using a cast iron pan. You must cook OUTSIDE as it creates a ton of smoke.

Labs, you have me drooling on my keyboard with your grilled tuna recipe. I grill off and on all winter but the grilling season will be in full force soon!

[student]

If you want to cook tuna rare, does the tuna need to be a special grade or anything? Is frozen tuna out of the freezer section good enough for this or does it need to be from a respected and trusted butcher to verify it is safe to eat rare?

[delcecchi]

If you want to cook tuna rare, does the tuna need to be a special grade or anything? Is frozen tuna out of the freezer section good enough for this or does it need to be from a respected and trusted butcher to verify it is safe to eat rare?

It never hurt me. Fancy stuff is better but stuff from freezer still good. If I wanted it well done I would open can of starkist.

[Whoaru99]

Yup. No problem rare on the freezer stuff.

[mainbutter]

If you want to cook tuna rare, does the tuna need to be a special grade or anything? Is frozen tuna out of the freezer section good enough for this or does it need to be from a respected and trusted butcher to verify it is safe to eat rare?

[student]

Good info. Thank you.

Now, where to find some tuna that isn't 14.99 a pound. Or is that about what a guy should expect to pay?

[LABS4ME]

That said, my first yellowfin tuna I boat is getting turned into sashimi (japanese dish that is essentially bite sized pieces of sliced raw fish) right then and there.

Had that once on a boat in Cabo. 1st tuna up... sashimi. fantastic, with some form of very good soy sauce to dip it in.

A chef down there taught me the grilled tuna recipe. we had it a couple of nights. I love it! Just had a grilled tuna sandwich at Barkers in Hudson for lunch... that too is a great sandwich. a few grilled onions on top and some fresh ground pepper... MMMM MMM

Good Luck!

Ken

[delcecchi]

Good info. Thank you.

Now, where to find some tuna that isn't 14.99 a pound. Or is that about what a guy should expect to pay?

Freezer at Sam's or Costco is where I would look first.

[delcecchi]

Here is a rule from Minnesota food safety.... Looks like tuna not a problem.

4626.0350 3-402.11 PARASITE DESTRUCTION.*

A.

Except as specified in item B, before service or sale in ready-to-eat form, raw, raw-marinated, partially cooked, or marinated-partially cooked fish other than molluscan shellfish shall be frozen throughout to a temperature of:

(1)

-20 degrees C (-4 degrees F) or below for 168 hours (seven days) in a freezer; or

(2)

-35 degrees C (-31 degrees F) or below for 15 hours in a blast freezer.

B.

If the fish are tuna of the species Thunnus alalunga, Thunnus albacares (Yellowfin tuna), Thunnus atlanticus, Thunnus maccoyii (Bluefin tuna, Southern), Thunnus obesus (Bigeye tuna), or Thunnus thynnus (Bluefin tuna, Northern), the fish may be served or sold in a raw, raw-marinated, or partially cooked ready-to-eat form without freezing as specified in item A.

[2thepointsetters]

A few pics from dinner last night. Turned out good on the foreman grill. I tried it half pink in the middle and I didn't care for it. Much better cooked all the way through which was about 3 minutes on the grill.

[bak2MN]

Glad it turned out for you, Foreman grill tuff to beat. Easy and quick.