🌡 Cook to See below — rare only if previously frozen, otherwise 145°F (63°C). Sear rare only if the fish was commercially frozen, or frozen at −4°F for 7 days. That is what kills parasites, and fresh-off-the-boat albacore has not had it done. Otherwise cook it through to 145°F.
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Ingredients
- 1½ lbs albacore loin, in one or two thick pieces
- ½ cup sesame seeds, white and black mixed
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, with a high smoke point
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Directions
- Decide first how you are cooking it. If the loin was commercially frozen, or you froze it yourself at −4°F for a full week, it can be seared rare. If not, cook it through to 145°F — this is the one call on the page that is not about taste.
- Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger and garlic into a dipping sauce and set it aside.
- Pat the loin bone dry and salt it on all sides.
- Spread the sesame seeds on a plate and press the tuna into them, turning until every surface is coated.
- Heat the neutral oil in a heavy skillet until it just begins to smoke. Sesame seeds scorch quickly, so have everything ready before the pan is hot.
- For rare: sear 60 to 90 seconds a side, until the crust is set and the centre is still deep red. For cooked through: lower the heat after searing and continue until the centre reads 145°F.
- Rest 2 minutes, then slice across the grain with a sharp knife — a dull one drags the crust off.
- Serve with the dipping sauce and the green onions.
Notes
Albacore is leaner and milder than the bluefin most seared-tuna recipes assume, so it dries out faster and takes the sesame crust well. Slice it thicker than you would bluefin. The dipping sauce keeps a week in the fridge.
Kit for this recipe
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- Instant-read thermometer Every recipe here is written to a temperature, not a time.
- Cast iron skillet A hard, fast sear needs a pan that will not drop temperature.
