Fish & seafood · Oily fish

Tuna

Large, meaty oily fish with deep-red flesh; seared rare as steaks or eaten raw as sashimi and poke.

Also called: tuna steak, ahi, yellowfin

A kind of fish

What it is

Fresh tuna (yellowfin/ahi, bigeye, bluefin) is sold as thick, deep red to pink steaks or loins. It is dense and meaty, more like beef in texture than most fish, and becomes dry and grey when cooked through. Canned tuna is usually skipjack or albacore and quite different in texture.

How it’s used

Sashimi, sushi and poke (sushi-grade)
Seared tuna steaks
Grilled with Mediterranean flavours
Spanish and Italian stews
Maldivian and South Indian curries

Characteristics

Taste: Rich, meaty and clean.
Texture: Firm and dense; silky when raw.
When cooked: Sear quickly on very high heat and slice; long cooking makes it dry.
Sold as: fresh, frozen, canned
Cooking uses: Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for grilling
Common in: Japanese, American, Maldivian, Spanish, Italian, Sri Lankan, Pacific Island

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep very cold and use within a day; fish for raw dishes should be bought on the day.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Contains fish, a common allergen.
Keep fish very cold (on ice or in the coldest part of the fridge) and cook within a day or two of buying; a strong ammonia or sour smell means it has spoiled. Cook to 63 °C (145 °F), when the flesh turns opaque and flakes.
Tuna that has been kept warm can build up histamine (scombroid poisoning), which cooking does not destroy; keep it cold.
Large tuna species can be high in mercury; many food agencies advise pregnant people and young children to limit it.