Recipe: Sous Vide Tuna
By Jack Lawson Seafood Sous Vide
August 19, 2021
Sushi-grade tuna is a perfect match for sous vide. The gentle application of heat all the way through produces firm and tender sashimi with ease. However, it's extremely important that your tuna is of a high quality. Due to the low cook times in this recipe pasteurization does not occur.
- Prep: 50 mins
- Cook: 45 mins
Ingredients
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tuna steaks, around 1-inch thick
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 zest of 1 lemon
2 springs fresh oregano
2 tsp canola oil, or vegetable oil
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Directions
To Brine
1Combine cold water and 1/4 cup kosher salt in a large mixing bowl.
2Place each tuna steak in the brine, and submerge. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, just long enough to tenderize the flesh. Note that the flavour from this step comes from tenderization, not seasoning.
To Cook
1Remove the tuna from the brine and rinse gently under cold water. Pat very dry with paper towel.
2Season the tuna steaks with freshly cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste.
3Arrange the tuna steaks, olive oil, and aromatics in a vacuum sealable bag.
4Seal the bag and refrigerated for 30 minutes (you can also refrigerate over night if needed),
5While you wait, set your water bath to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, or 41 degrees Celsius.
6When your water bath is ready, submerge your tuna steaks and cook for 35-45 minutes. Note that the longer you cook the tuna for the shorter your sear should be to avoid overcooking.
To Sear and Serve
1Remove the tuna from the water bath, discard the cooking liquid, and pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
2Combine pepper and sesame seeds together and rub gently into the tuna steaks.
3Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium-high until shimmering.
4Lay the tuna steaks down away from you and cook for 20-45 seconds per side. Keep your spatula or flipper nearby and tease the underside of the tuna on occasion. It should come away easily when a proper crust has formed.
5Using a pair of kitchen tongs, sear the tuna on each side - no more than 10 seconds per section of tuna.
6Plate tuna with a side of micro-greens and slice in thin, sashimi-style strips.
7Photo credit: Catherine77/Shutterstock
Getting creative with your brine is as easy as adding a touch more sugar or spices. If you're going for more of a grilled flavor and less of a sashimi-style dish then we suggest exploring aromatics like dill, citrus, capers and juniper for a more Mediterranean approach.