Barbecue-Seared Blackfin Tuna

There are a few things I love about Florida summer:  tourist season is over, we’ve got fish, and mango season is in full-swing!  I just picked the first few:

Right now every meal should involve mangos.  While this barbecue-seared tuna with avocado sauce is excellent on its own, add some thin slivers of a perfectly ripe Valencia Pride mango…  There you have it, the perfect summer dinner.  So perfect, in fact, that I made it twice in the past week.

I’m off to New Orleans this weekend for a sustainable seafood conference.   I’ll be learning more about our Gulf fisheries and developing recipes using the best choices they have to offer.  I’ll also be eating lots of fresh seafood.  Strictly for research, of course.

Although many tuna species are not sustainable, the blackfin tuna we caught in the Florida Keys is an exception.  You can read more about it in this post.  If blackfin tuna isn’t an option, try it with whatever firm fish steaks you have available, along with the very best local or homegrown mangos you can find.

Barbecue-Seared Blackfin Tuna
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound blackfin tuna steaks
  2. 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
Barbecue Rub
  1. 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
  2. 2 teaspoons chili powder
  3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  4. 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  5. 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  6. 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  7. 1/4 teaspoon coriander
  8. pinch of cayenne
Avocado Sauce
  1. 1 avocado
  2. 1 big handful cilantro
  3. 1 green onion, chopped
  4. 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
  5. juice of 1 lime
  6. 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Serve with
  1. 1 mango, thinly sliced
  2. cilantro
  3. sliced green onions
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients for the Barbecue Rub in a shallow dish.
Blend the Avocado Sauce
  1. Add the avocado, cilantro, green onion, jalapeño, lime, and salt to the jar of a blender. Blend 30 seconds at a time, scraping down the sides with a spatula. Continue this until it's very smooth. Transfer to a serving dish.
Sear the Tuna
  1. Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Dip the steaks in the barbecue rub, coating all surfaces.
  3. Sear the tuna 2-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, depending on the thickness of the steaks.
  4. Transfer to a serving platter.
  5. Serve each steak with a dollop of avocado sauce, sliced mango, cilantro, and green onions.
Suwannee Rose https://suwanneerose.com/

7 Comments Barbecue-Seared Blackfin Tuna

  1. cheryl June 26, 2015 at 11:13 am

    Hi Danielle,
    Very exciting that you are going to that conference in New Orleans.
    Your mango tree on Emerald is ripe. I took one from the ground but it was over ripe. Are you coming into town soon? I could put them in your fridge if you have a hidden key.
    Have a blast in New Orleans.

    Love,
    Cheryl

    1. Toby June 26, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      The front tree is ripening. Pick some and enjoy. we are back in a week.

  2. cheryl June 27, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    Thanks! Seems like our trees is ripening quickly as well. I suppose its the heat. Ours usually don’t ripen until August on through October.

  3. Coley July 1, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Dying to try blackfin tuna! yet another reason to come pay you a visit in tampa.

    1. suwanneerose July 2, 2015 at 10:35 am

      I know you’d love it here and we would feast!

  4. Pingback: Fish Recipes: For Locally Caught Fish in Florida

  5. Pingback: How to Catch a Blackfin Tuna - Catch and Fillet

Comments are closed.