Albacore Tuna Sliders

From the kitchen of Carly

Seared albacore tuna scored and marinated in soy, seafood seasoning, and heat, then griddled rare and stacked on brioche with tomato, arugula, and smoked onion tartar sauce. Elegant finger food that tastes like a sushi bar decided to go portable.

Albacore Tuna Sliders

Scoring the tuna loin before grilling is the trick that makes these sliders work, creating those char-edged sear marks while keeping the center rare and buttery. A quick brush of soy and seafood seasoning does the heavy lifting, then two minutes per side over high heat gets you the crust without overcooking the fish. Toast the brioche buns last minute so they're warm and crisp without drying out.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 lbalbacore tuna loin
  • 2 tbspsoy sauce
  • 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbspNorthwest Seafood Seasoning
  • 1/2 tspcrushed red pepper flakes
  • 1Slider buns, brioche, if possible
  • 1 mediumheirloom tomato or other ripe beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1Arugula leaves, rinsed and dried
  • 1Tartar sauce
  • 1such as Pike Place Fish Smoked Walla Walla Onion Tartar Sauce

Instructions

  1. Skin the tuna loin, then score the flesh every inch with a knife as though you were marking out steaks. Work all the way around every side, but stop short of cutting through completely.

  2. Combine the soy sauce, olive oil, seafood seasoning, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Use a basting brush to coat all sides of the tuna, pressing the marinade into the scored channels so the fish drinks it in. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.

  3. Get the grill screaming hot, with clean, well-oiled grates. Lay the tuna directly on the grates and cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side, roughly 6 minutes total for rare. In that final minute, slide the buns onto the grill to toast. Cut the tuna into four sections along the score lines, then tuck each piece into a bun with sliced tomato, arugula, and a generous smear of tartar sauce.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Ask the fishmonger for the front end of the tuna loin, which has more even thickness and fewer dramatic tapers that throw off cooking times.
  • Score the flesh about an inch apart without cutting all the way through, the way you'd score a steak, so marinade reaches the inside and you have natural dividing lines for slicing.
  • Use a clean, well-oiled grill grate and don't move the tuna once it hits the heat, let it sit for the full 2 to 3 minutes per side so it releases and caramelizes properly.
  • The total cooking time of 6 minutes is for rare tuna, which is the only way this works. The exterior develops a brown crust while the inside stays pink and tender.

Variations

  • Scrap the tartar sauce and go with wasabi mayo, a dollop of sriracha, or a squeeze of fresh lemon and fleur de sel on just the tomato.
  • Swap the arugula for crispy shoestring slaw, peppery micro greens, or thin shavings of cucumber if tomato season isn't here yet.
  • Mix equal parts soy and mirin into your marinade, skip the seafood seasoning, and serve the sliders with pickled ginger and a side of soy for dipping.
  • Cook thicker-cut tuna steaks the same way and skip the buns entirely, serving over a bright green salad with charred citrus and flaky salt.

Make ahead and storage

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, but eat the sliders the day you make them if possible, the tuna dries out fast and the buns get soggy. Freeze cooked tuna separately if you must, but honestly these are best fresh.