I love this Lime Chili Marinated Tuna recipe for summer grilling. Fresh tuna is an absolute treat. I view tuna as one of those fish varieties that is a good one to try if you’re a little wary of eating fish in general. Add a good marinade- this one incorporates lime, soy sauce, honey and chili sauce- and that makes it all that much better too. Tuna is grilled until the flesh changes color and is no longer translucent If you over-grill it, it’ll be dry (just as if you over cook any other meat). Some people prefer to keep their tuna a bit rare (a good shade of pink) in the middle. Medium rare is the most common way to serve it. It’s completely your choice. The photos shown here display this fresh tuna recipe as rare to medium rare.
If you have access to a seafood market where fresh finds are delivered daily, that might be your best bet for finding a good price on tuna. If not, I would do some research to find a market that carries good, fresh seafood. Whole Foods usually has good quality fish but it can be pricey there.
What’s the best kind of fresh tuna to buy?
This is kind of important since fresh tuna can be expensive and you really want to get the most bang for your buck. The best-tasting tuna—bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye, or albacore—will range in color from deep red to pink. Most of the time in a regular grocery store, you’ll find it already sliced into steaks. That’s what you’ll need for this recipe. If they’re not already sliced, you can ask your seafood guy to cut 1-inch thick steaks for you. Look for moist, shiny fish for the best freshness. If it looks wet or weepy, it’s not fresh fish. Once cut, the steaks will begin the process of oxidation. The older they are, the more brown and dull the steaks will appear. Fresh fish shouldn’t have an overly fishy odor to it. Just have a chat with your seafood guy to find out the story behind the tuna you’re looking at.
Enjoy! If you enjoy seafood recipes, you might also like to try my San Diego Style Fish Tacos or this Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa. Beer Battered Halibut and Easy Tilapia Piccata are good choices too!
