I'm having the in-laws come down in a few weeks. We're all planning on doing a big cook-out. Fish Fry- without the frying! I'm probably going to get a bunch on Tuna steaks and grill them. I usually just use olive oil and pepper. I've been trying to browse around for something new to cook them with. I'm just not finding anything interesting. Any ideas?

 

Dill goes well with fish adding a fresh accent. Are you looking for condiment or a dish to serve along with the fish?

 

I agree with a little dill...if you infuse it into the oil it would work well also.

As with almost any quality grilled food...I think simpler is better. Tuna, shark, salmon, good steaks....about all I use is oil and coarse ground pepper (and kosher salt on steak). You want the flavor to come through. Chicken is different...I'll marinate it in all sorts of things.

Grilled skewered veggies would go well, maybe with a rice pilaf? Also..try some fresh extra large shrimp on skewers marinated in a good Italian dressing for about an hour or so. They take about
5 min or so on the grill. Bout 5 shrimp per skewer 1-2 skewers per person...but they'll want more! Dust them with a little Old Bay after cooking. They seem real fancy but are extremely simple. Don't forget to soak the skewers in water for 1/2 hr before adding the shrimp and grilling.

Ohhhh...hey yer in MD...you can probably get some dill tarter sauce....I can't remember the brand..but we used to get in in VA and it's the best I've ever had. It was kind of an off brand with a blue cap, not a major name. Send me 4 jars if you find it.

Oh wait...I'm soliciting...now I have to ban myself. Lol

 

Gunguy....LOL. Don't ban yourself! You gave me some great ideas that I used! It was a wonderful outcome. Thanks guys, great help.

 

I'm sure the OP has had his cookout and I hope everything went well.

For me tuna lends itself to more exotic flavors. My favorites on the grill are tuna steaks crusted with crushed macadamia nuts, tuna steaks with a toasted sesame crust and a wasabi basted tuna. All cooked very rare, a couple of minutes on a side.

Favorite tuna though is Sashimi or maybe an Ahi poke salad.

 

Wayne, Sashimi?? You mean "bait"??

 

Larry - Yeah, I've eaten bait before but it was fresh squid not tuna. Next time you're in an Asian restaurant give it a try. If you're not up for raw yet you can get it seared.

Most people cook tuna until it's sort of gray/brown all the way through. Then they complain that it's too dry or it tastes like "tunafish". A good tuna steak is no different than a good beef steak. If you are going to cook it, rare is the way to go. For me the same is true with salmon. Just pass it over the grill and dig in.

 

Wayne Mitchell is on the money.

We've grilled fish for years. A lot of my camping trips are catch and eat.
A very light dusting of dill and flower (very light, not enough to really batter the fish) works great to add flavor and keep the fish from sticking when cooking over a fire.

 

I do like Tuna steaks, but go ga-ga over Shark. Very mild and tender if done right. I do have a friend who runs an Asian restaurant locally, but I just can't bring myself to do the bait thing. He keeps after me, so maybe one day I will.
Yeah, I'm a Woody Harrelson type guy on beef steak....Knock the horns off, drag it in front of the fire and put it on my plate.

 

Larry if you like your steaks with the moooo still attached you really will like tuna. Your friend is on the money - trust me.

Next time you visit his restaurant ask for a seared tuna steak. It's the seafood equivalent of tossing a rib eye on a screaming hot grill and taking it off while it's still wiggling.

Once you've enjoyed that try a piece of Ahi nigiri, nothing but a slice of yellowfin wrapped around a ball of sushi rice. Put a lump of wasabi under the tuna and it's a "where you been all my life experience".

BTW - This thread reminded me that I have not had Ahi for a while so I grilled some tonight. Black sesame and soy sauce, a bit of wasabi, a rice pilaf, fresh sauteed zuchinni and a tomato from the garden and a glass of wine.

I've eaten quite a bit of shark. Mostly blacktips I caught when I lived in the keys. Great fish. Last year a friend gave me a couple of steaks from a blue shark he caught. I grilled them and it was probably some of the best salt water fish I've ever had.

BTW careful with the wasabi. If your friend serves typical US wasabi you're OK. It's basically horseradish with a green coloring. Strong enough to clear your sinuses but you'll survive. I've only had the real deal a couple of times, never in the US, but I know some US Japanese restaurants serve it. The first time I was unprepared and I thought I was gonna' croak. That is some seriously powerful stuff.

 

I'll have to write this down and try it next time we're in there. I'll have to forego the wasabi, though, as smelling horseradish gives me uncontrollable "behind the eye" headache....worse than an ice cream headache!! Thanks for the heads up.