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Recipe · Direct · Medium

Sesame-Crusted Seared Bluefin Tuna on the Kamado (Tataki)

A bluefin tuna loin rolled in sesame and seared 30-45 seconds per side over a screaming-hot kamado: a toasted crust outside, a raw, juicy core, and a soy, ginger and lime sauce that wakes it all up.

Quick answer

Tataki bluefin tuna is seared on a kamado over very high direct heat, with the griddle or grate at 250-280 °C. Roll the loin in sesame and sear it 30-45 seconds per side: you get a crisp crust outside and a raw, red, juicy centre. Serve with soy, ginger and lime sauce.

Lomo de atún rojo con costra de sésamo blanco y negro, sellado y cortado en láminas con el centro crudo y rojo, sobre una tabla de madera junto a un kamado cerámico encendido.Save to Pinterest
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Prep
20 min
Cook
4 min
Servings
4 servings
Temperature
280 °C

Ingredients

  • bluefin tuna loin in one rectangular piece (sushi-grade)600 g
  • sesame seeds (white and black mix)4 cda
  • soy sauce3 cda
  • lime (juice and zest)1 ud
  • fresh grated ginger15 g
  • toasted sesame oil1 cda
  • extra virgin olive oil2 cda
  • flaky sea salt1 pizca

Method

  1. 01

    Temper the tuna

    Take the tuna out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead and pat it very dry: a wet surface won't hold the sesame and steams on the griddle. Trim it into rectangular blocks about 4-5 cm thick, which sear more evenly than an irregular piece.

  2. 02

    Citrus sauce

    Whisk the soy sauce, lime juice and zest, grated ginger and toasted sesame oil. Taste and adjust: it should be sharp and fresh, not salty. Set it aside for the end; used as a marinade it would scorch its sugars during the sear.

  3. 03

    Sesame crust

    Brush each block with a little olive oil and a pinch of flaky salt. Spread the sesame on a plate and press the tuna onto all four long faces until evenly coated. Press, don't sprinkle: the crust must stick so it doesn't fall off on the griddle.

  4. 04

    Coals glowing

    Set the kamado up for direct heat, no deflector, grate low with a cast-iron griddle on top. Open the vents and bring the dome to 280 °C. The griddle is ready when a drop of water dances and vanishes instantly; an infrared thermometer should read 250-280 °C at the surface.

  5. 05

    Sear 30-45 s

    Lay the blocks on the griddle and sear them 30-45 seconds per side, turning to toast all four long faces. Don't fidget with them while they sear. The centre must stay raw, red and cool: go past a minute per side and the tuna starts to cook through and loses the point.

  6. 06

    Rest and slice

    Move the tuna to a board and let it rest 2 minutes so residual heat settles the crust. With a very sharp knife, cut 1 cm slices against the grain. Fan them out, spoon over the citrus sauce and finish with sesame or chives. Serve at once.

About this recipe

Tataki is one of the most rewarding techniques you can pull off on a kamado: it leans on the fierce, dry heat that ceramic holds better than almost any other grill. The idea is simple but nerve-wracking: a sesame-crusted bluefin tuna loin goes in and out of the searing zone in under three minutes, just long enough to toast the crust without letting the heat reach the centre.

A **30-45 second sear per side** only works if the surface is genuinely glowing: we're talking **250-280 °C**. With the lid shut until the last moment and a cast-iron griddle fully heated, the kamado reaches and holds that temperature without crashing the instant you open it. That's exactly what separates a crisp crust from tuna that's boiled outside and sad within.

Bluefin tuna (*Thunnus thynnus*) is governed by strict **ICCAT** quotas, and the **almadraba** trap fishery of the Gulf of Cádiz is one of the most selective and traceable methods around. Buy a piece with clear provenance and, if you're eating it raw, follow the local rules on prior freezing to deal with anisakis. Buying well here isn't posturing: it's what keeps tuna in the water.

In 30 seconds

Cast-iron griddle at 250-280 °C over direct coals. Whole-piece bluefin tuna, rolled in sesame, seared 30-45 s per side, raw in the middle. Rest 2 minutes, slice 1 cm thick, serve with soy, ginger and lime sauce. Freeze the tuna beforehand if eating it raw.

Served as slices on the board itself, with a drizzle of sauce and a few shoots, it's one of those dishes that looks like restaurant work yet comes together at home in the time it takes the coals to ash over. A summer starter that floors everyone.

Editor's tips

  • Buy tuna with traceable provenance, ideally almadraba, and ask for sushi-grade. To avoid anisakis, AESAN rules require freezing it at -20 °C for 24 hours (or -35 °C commercial blast-freezing) before eating it raw or rare.
  • Drying is non-negotiable. Wet tuna won't grip the crust, drops the griddle temperature and ends up steaming in its own moisture instead of toasting. Paper towel it thoroughly right before coating.
  • Always slice against the grain with a very sharp knife: a dull blade crushes the fibre and wrecks the crust. A fish knife or a Japanese santoku gives clean slices in a single pass.

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FAQ

  • What temperature do you sear tataki tuna at on a kamado?

    Over very high direct heat, with the griddle or grate at 250-280 °C. At that temperature you sear 30-45 seconds per side and the centre stays raw. If the surface is cooler, heat penetrates and the tuna cooks through instead of toasting.

  • How do I avoid anisakis if I'm eating the tuna raw?

    AESAN requires fish eaten raw or rare to be frozen at -20 °C for at least 24 hours (or -35 °C in commercial freezers). If you buy tuna frozen at sea or labelled sushi-grade, it already meets this requirement.

  • Which cut of bluefin tuna is best for tataki?

    The loin or central fillet, in a compact rectangular piece with no sinew or skin. That shape sears evenly on all four faces and slices cleanly afterwards. Avoid thin or irregular offcuts: they cook through before they toast.

  • Is cooking bluefin tuna sustainable?

    It can be, if you choose well. Atlantic bluefin tuna is governed by ICCAT quotas and its stocks have recovered. The almadraba trap of the Gulf of Cádiz is a selective, traceable fishing method; look for that provenance or responsible-fishing certifications.

  • Direct or indirect heat for searing the tuna?

    Direct, with no deflector and the grate set low, as close to the coals as possible. Tataki needs a brief, intense blast of heat; indirect cooks with gentle ambient heat, exactly the opposite of what you want here.

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