Gas-Grilled Tuna Steaks with Red Wine Vinegar and Mustard Vinaigrette

Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen

Yield: 6 servings
Time: 40 minutes

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• vegetable or other high-smoke point oil for cooking grate

• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

• table salt

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves

• ¾ cup olive oil 6 tuna steaks, 1 inch thick (about 8 ounces each) (see note) ground black pepper

Direction

*Before You Begin *

ATK prefers our tuna served rare or medium- rare. If you like your fish cooked medium, observe the timing for medium-rare, then tent the steaks loosely with foil for 5 minutes before serving. To achieve a nicely grilled exterior and a rare center, it is important to use fish steaks that are at least 1 inch thick.

1. Loosely cover the cooking grate with a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Remove foil with tongs and discard; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Lightly dip a wad of paper towels in oil; holding the wad with tongs, wipe the grate. Continue to wipe the grate with oiled paper towels, redipping towels in oil between applications, until the grate is black and glossy, 5 to 10 times. The grill is ready when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grate for 3 to 4 seconds.

2. While the grill heats, whisk vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, mustard, honey, and thyme or rosemary together in a large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle oil into the vinegar mixture until lightly thickened and emulsified. Measure out ¾ cup of vinaigrette and set aside for cooking fish. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette for serving.

3. Brush both sides of the fish liberally with the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill fish with lid down and burners on high without moving until grill marks form and the bottom surface is opaque, about 1½ minutes. Carefully flip, cooking until grill marks form on second side, about 1½ minutes longer for rare (opaque at perimeter and translucent red at center when checked with tip of paring knife) or 3 minutes for medium-rare (opaque at perimeter and reddish pink at center). Transfer to a large plate and serve immediately, passing the reserved vinaigrette.