Grilled Tuna Steak

5 from 4 votes

This marinated grilled tuna steak is a quick and easy meal. The orange soy ginger marinade gives the tuna an amazing or you can skip the marinade and season the tuna with salt and pepper. Either way, the tuna steaks will turn out tender and buttery in the center with a delicious seared crust.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Total Time8

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: easy dinners, Grilled Tuna Steak, grilling, seafood

Servings: Servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

Marinade for Tuna

½ cup soy sauce
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 to 3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 s teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Grilled Tuna

1 to 2 tuna steaks about 1-¼ to 2 inches thick
2 tablespoons cooking oil
salt and pepper
lemon dill aioli

Instructions

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a shallow dish or a re-sealable food storage bag: soy sauce, rice vinegar, orange juice, sesame oil, sugar, scallion, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Add the tuna steaks to the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Fire up a pellet grill, gas grill, or charcoal grill and let it heat to about 500°F. Clean and oil the grill grates.
Remove the tuna steaks from the marinade and pat them dry with paper towels.
Brush them with a liberal coating of cooking oil then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
Place the tuna steaks directly on the hot grill grates and close the lid to the grill.
Let the tuna cook undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds then turn it and repeat on the other side. If the fish sticks to the grill, slide a thin metal spatula or fish spatula under it to loosen it up.
If you want the tuna steaks cooked to medium or well-done, lower the heat (or move them to a cooler zone if using a charcoal grill) and let them cook for 3 to 5 minutes. You can watch the side of the tuna as it cooks and the color will change dramatically. Rare portions of the steak will look almost purple and the well-done portion will turn white.

Notes

Fresh tuna steaks are best cooked rare or to a degree of rareness, depending on personal preference. You can cook them well done, however, they will be dry. If this is your first time cooking tuna steak, try them rare first. You can always toss them back on the grill if you want them cooked more.
Add a liberal coat of oil to the grill grates and the surface of the tuna steaks.
If the grill grates are clean and oiled, the tuna will loosen from the grill as soon as it gets a good sear. If you find the tuna sticks to the grate, sometimes all you need to do is let it cook for a few more seconds. If you still have trouble, slide a thin metal spatula under the surface to loosen it up.
Use an oil with a high smoke point.
If you have frozen tuna steaks, let them thaw completely before you begin.
Nutrition calculation does not include the aioli sauce.

Nutrition