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Blackened Yellowfin Tuna

A hot cast iron pan, a heavy spice crust, and a rare center.

Blackened Yellowfin Tuna recipe card from Sea Salt Lobster Co., Saco, Maine

Blackening is a crust, not a burn. The pan has to be genuinely hot and the tuna comes out rare in the middle — that's the whole point of buying good tuna.

Ingredients

For the tuna

  • 1 lb yellowfin tuna steak, cut into 1-inch thick steaks (about 4 pieces)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp blackening seasoning, store-bought or homemade
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Homemade blackening seasoning (optional)

  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preparation

  1. Pat dry. Paper towels, both sides.
  2. Season. Brush with olive oil, then coat all sides generously with blackening seasoning, pressing it to adhere.
  3. Heat the pan. Heavy skillet — cast iron is best — over medium-high until very hot.
  4. Cook. 1 1/2–2 minutes per side for rare. Outside blackened, inside pink and tender.
  5. Rest. 3 minutes off the heat.
  6. Finish. Squeeze lemon over before serving.

Serving

Serves 2–4. Rice and a chopped cucumber-tomato salad works well against the heat.

Pro tips

  • Turn the extractor on and open a window. This smokes. That's normal.
  • Cast iron holds heat through the sear — nonstick can't get hot enough and won't blacken.
  • Two minutes a side, maximum. Cooked through, this is an expensive tuna sandwich.
  • The rest matters. Slice straight off the heat and the juices run out onto the board.
  • Slice against the grain, in thick pieces.

What you'll need

Packed by hand in our own facility in Saco, Maine.