Should You Let Tuna Steaks Rest Before Eating Them?

At this point, we all know to ensure cooked beef steaks are rested before slicing into them. That's to prevent the meat from losing precious juices as they redistribute while the steaks cool off, but does the same principle apply to tuna steaks? After all, the prospect of dry fish is a disappointing one, especially in the case of tuna. We spoke to an expert, Hidekazu Kato, chef de cuisine at Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono in Hokkaido, Japan, to learn whether or not you should be cooking tuna steaks just like you would any old steak.

Thankfully, if you can't wait to dig in to seared or grilled tuna, Kato said there should be nothing stopping you. "Tuna steaks don't really need to rest after cooking," he explained. "In the case of beef, heat and juice gradually come inside during resting. Since tuna is a lean fish with short, thin muscle fibers and low water retention, there is no need to let it rest after cooking."

In fact, Kato also said that there aren't really any occasions where you would ever want a tuna steak to rest, as carryover cooking could potentially dry out the meat further. Serving your tuna steaks immediately is the best way to enjoy them.

If you're cooking tuna steak, most chefs recommend the high-heat sear method, where you simply use high heat to quickly cook the exterior of the fish. You want to add some caramelized color without burning the meat, while leaving the inside a fleshy soft pink. Tuna steaks cook so quickly that they really do only take a few moments to finish, so don't walk away while you're pan searing or grilling. As soon as you see any color on the cooked side, it's time to flip it.

Hidekazu Kato does recommend a very tiny pause before tearing right in, on occasion, however. "If searing the surface over high heat for a short time, you will need to let it sit for a few seconds to settle," he says. Note the use of the word "seconds" and not "minutes." That will give you enough time to dress your Niçoise salad, serve up bowls of steaming white rice, slice some lemons to serve with the fish, or call everyone in to sit down to dinner — no extra waiting time necessary.