You Can Technically Fry Tuna — But Here's Why You Really Shouldn't Bother

Have you ever eaten fried tuna? You don't often see it on restaurant menus, and there may be a good reason for this. Jason Ryczek, who works as a research and development chef for Texas-based Pappas Restaurants, Inc., told The Takeout, "Generally, I do not fry tuna as it is not my preferred way of enjoying it." He went on to explain that this method may make the tuna too dry, so it might not be worth pursuing.

"Frying is a dry cooking method because it uses no water. You can dry out tuna by frying it," explained Ryczek. (Roasting, another dry cooking technique, can also have this effect.) He added, however, that not all types of tuna will react the same way: "Tuna is as broad as saying 'beef.' Many different parts of the animal need to be treated differently." Otoro, which is the fatty part of a tuna's belly, won't be quite as dry when fried as would a leaner tuna steak. Ryczek also noted that a protective coating, such as batter, can help seal in the moisture when tuna is fried. "Sushi rolls with spicy tuna on the inside that are lightly fried in tempura are definitely a guilty pleasure for me," he admitted.

One good argument against frying tuna is that there's really no need, since there are so many other ways to prepare it. Jason Ryczek is a fan of raw or gently cooked tuna himself, saying, "Overall, if I put any heat to the tuna, it is primarily on the exterior to ensure the fish is easy to cut." When he does cook his fish, he has several go-to methods. "I also like grilling the tuna to a rare temperature, lightly poaching in fat like olive oil or butter, or poaching in a water-based broth or coconut milk," he explained.

While searing tuna steaks with a kitchen torch can pose a challenge, since you could wind up with burned outsides and cold insides, you can pan-sear a tuna steak just like you would a beef steak. Ina Garten's key tuna salad ingredient is a freshly seared tuna steak (not canned tuna); Andrew Zimmern seasons grilled tuna steak with a little salt, followed by soy sauce and lemon juice; and cookbook author and food columnist, Barbara Kafka, said it's perfectly okay to cook tuna steak in the microwave as long as you cover the dish in plastic wrap.