First time for Tuna steaks

[1911Ron]

In an effort to eat low to no fat meals (Wife's diet) we have been doing more healthy cooking, she has wanted Tuna steaks for awhile so we bought some from Sprouts (whole foods,natural stuff)

I know how i screwed up and cooked them to long (to many things going on, prep for other things) they were dry and tough (to firm?) so how i did them was started an almost full chimney and spread evenly on the grate. I did not oil the grate and put them right on it. 

So what do i do differently next time?

[1buckie]

   You could try out planks, but with the price of most fish nowdays, that bumps up an already fairly expensive meal......

I use planks over direct heat, after a goodly soak in water...............heat one side of a blank plank for a few minutes, turn over, add fish, go for a short time (plank will also give you a bit more leeway than straight on the grates) & done.............

The other way  fish works well is 'baking' / semi-grilling indirect......

Some of the folks on here are real good at grilling direct (OTPlatinum, Duke & others come to mind)
but I tend to foul up a hi-heat deal on fish & so elect for a safer route  of a medium heat indirect cook & usually goes pretty reasonable......more time to catch a runaway mistake about to happen also.....if you get in a situation like you were fixing up other stuff...............

[Troy]

with tuna, you want the inside rare.

to get a good sear, while not overcooking the inside - you need to cook HOT and fast.

if you're only cooking for 2-4, cook your tuna steaks directly on top of the chimney. Use a smokey joe grate if you have one.
put the grate on as the flames start to die down. oil the tuna and put it on the grate when the flames are almost completely gone.

Depending on the heat (brand of charcoal, etc) - one minute per side is about what it takes.
If your steaks are thick, you can go longer for a nicer crust.
if you prefer to take the inside to medium, you can move them to the outside of the grate that isn't directly over the chimney - or  you can dump the chimney into the grill and actually cook indirectly.

[Troy]

if you're trying to do this for a party - it gets scary.
a grill FULL of blazing hot lump, stoked by a billows or an air pump, gets incredibly scary. aluminum cans will melt and trickle through the grates.
i don't recommend this

[1buckie]

"aluminum cans will melt and trickle through the grates."


And you have aluminum cans on your blazing hot grate precisely why?


.....this place is so much fun !!!!!

[edhead35]

He cooks cans of tuna still in the can

[Ted B]

I actually worked with a kid who thought tuna in a can had to be cooked. Of course he also thought peaches had to be peeled. Yeah he was stupid.

[landgraftj]

Ted you shouldn't talk about Big B like that, it's not nice!

Sorry B, I couldn't resist. You know we all love you!