Alice Rose Tuna steak is one of the quickest things you can cook, and one of the easiest to ruin.
Cooked all the way through, it turns dry, grey and chalky, rather like tinned tuna but worse, while a properly seared one has a deeply browned outside and a rare to medium-rare pink centre that stays tender and moist.
The whole thing takes about ten minutes, and almost all of the skill is in the heat of the pan and in knowing when to stop.
Why Tuna Is Best Served Pink in the Centre
Unlike most fish, tuna is a lean, dense, meat-like fish, closer in texture to a good steak than to a delicate white fish, and it behaves in much the same way when cooked.
Its low fat content means it dries out very quickly once cooked through, losing the silky, tender texture that makes fresh tuna worth cooking in the first place.
A very hot pan and a very short cooking time sears the outside of the steak, forming a crust, while leaving the centre rare to medium-rare.
This is the standard way to serve good-quality tuna, and it only works with fish that’s genuinely fresh and labelled as suitable for eating rare, so it’s worth buying from a good fishmonger.
Ingredients for Gordon Ramsay Tuna Steak
- 2 tuna steaks (approx. 180g each, 2.5cm thick)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
For the Dressing
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
How to Make Gordon Ramsay Tuna Steak — Step by Step
Step 1 — Bring to Room Temperature
Take the tuna steaks out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking, then pat completely dry with kitchen paper.
Step 2 — Make the Dressing
Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic and ginger. Stir in the spring onion. Set aside.
Step 3 — Season
Season both sides of the tuna generously with salt and pepper, then press the sesame seeds onto each side.
Step 4 — Heat the Pan
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over high heat until very hot and just smoking.
Step 5 — Sear
Add the tuna steaks and cook for 1–2 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare, depending on thickness, until the outside is browned and the centre is still pink.
Step 6 — Rest
Transfer to a board and rest for 2 minutes.
Step 7 — Slice and Serve
Slice the tuna against the grain into thick slices, drizzle with the dressing, and serve immediately.
My Top Tips for the Best Gordon Ramsay Tuna Steak
Get the pan very hot before the tuna goes in, as a lukewarm pan cooks the fish through before it develops any crust.
Pat the tuna completely dry before cooking, since surface moisture prevents a proper sear and steams the fish instead.
Cook for no longer than 1–2 minutes per side, as tuna dries out quickly once it passes medium-rare.
Buy the freshest, highest-quality tuna you can, labelled as suitable for eating rare, as the centre of the steak is only lightly cooked.
Slice against the grain after resting, as this gives the most tender bite.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with steamed rice and wilted greens such as pak choi, or over a simple salad of cucumber and radish. A squeeze of lime over the top just before eating lifts the whole dish.
How to Store Gordon Ramsay Tuna Steak
In the fridge: Best eaten fresh. Leftover seared tuna can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 1 day and eaten cold, sliced into a salad.
In the freezer: Raw tuna steaks freeze well for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly. Defrost fully in the fridge before cooking. Cooked tuna doesn’t freeze well.
Gordon Ramsay Tuna Steak Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Bring tuna to room temperature, pat dry.
- Whisk dressing ingredients together.
- Season tuna, press sesame seeds onto both sides.
- Heat oil in a pan until smoking.
- Sear 1–2 minutes per side.
- Rest 2 minutes.
- Slice against the grain, drizzle with dressing.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Gordon Ramsay Tuna Steak
Is it safe to eat tuna steak rare?
Provided it’s very fresh and from a reputable source, labelled as suitable for eating rare, then yes. If in any doubt, cook it through, though the texture will be drier.
How do I know when tuna steak is cooked?
Look at the side of the steak as it cooks, where you can see a band of cooked, opaque flesh creeping up from the base. Turn it when this band reaches about a third of the way up for rare to medium-rare.
Can I cook tuna steak on a barbecue?
Yes — a very hot barbecue or griddle pan works well, using the same short cooking time of 1–2 minutes per side.
Why is my tuna steak dry?
This is almost always from overcooking. Tuna needs only a minute or two per side over high heat, and should come off the heat while still pink in the centre.
