Name: Minamis Bincho / Albacore Tuna Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 12 oz albacore tuna loin (sushi-grade); 3 tbs soy sauce (low sodium recommended); 2 tbs mirin; 1 tbs sake (or dry white wine); 1 tsp light sesame oil; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tsp garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tsp neutral oil with high smoke point (grapeseed or canola); 1 tsp unsalted butter (optional, for gloss); 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (white or mixed); 2 tbs thinly sliced scallions; 0.25 cups microgreens or shiso leaves (optional); 2 pieces lemon or yuzu wedges; 2 tbs fried garlic crisps (store-bought or homemade); 2 cups steamed short-grain rice or vinegared sushi rice; 2 tbs pickled ginger (gari); 2 tbs ponzu or extra soy for dipping

Method

Tuna and Marinade

Prepare tuna

Pat the albacore tuna loin dry with paper towels. Trim any sinew or discolored portions. Cut the loin into 4 equal steaks (about 3 oz each) or into 8 sashimi-sized pieces if serving as tataki.

Make marinade

In a shallow bowl or dish combine soy sauce (3 tbs), mirin (2 tbs), sake (1 tbs), sesame oil (1 tsp), grated ginger (1 tsp), grated garlic (1 tsp), kosher salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp). Whisk or stir until combined.

Marinate briefly

Place the tuna steaks in the marinade, turning to coat all sides. Marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes or in the refrigerator up to 20 minutes. Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes to avoid curing the fish too much.

Binchotan-style sear (finish & garnish)

Preheat pan

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or carbon steel pan over high heat until it is smoking hot (2–4 minutes). If you have binchotan or a grill, preheat the charcoal to glowing; this recipe describes pan searing as an accessible alternative.

Sear the tuna

Add 1 tsp neutral oil to the hot pan and swirl to coat. Remove tuna from the marinade and let excess drip off (reserve marinade). Place the tuna in the pan and sear 15–20 seconds per side for a rare, tataki-style center, turning once with tongs. If steaks are thicker and you prefer medium-rare, sear 30–40 seconds per side. Avoid prolonged cooking to keep the interior tender.

Finish with butter and reserved marinade

Lower the heat to medium-high. Add 1 tsp unsalted butter to the pan and splash in 1–2 tsp of the reserved marinade (avoid adding too much soy mixture to prevent burning). Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter and reduced marinade over the tuna for 10–15 seconds to glaze.

Rest and slice

Transfer the seared tuna to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute. For steaks, slice thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch slices. For tataki pieces, slice into bite-size portions or serve whole with a slight diagonal cut to show the seared edge.

Plate and garnish

Arrange the sliced tuna on a plate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds (1 tsp), scatter thinly sliced scallions (2 tbs), microgreens or shiso (1/4 cup) and fried garlic crisps (2 tbs) over the top. Serve with lemon or yuzu wedges (2 pieces) to squeeze over, and offer ponzu or extra soy (2 tbs) on the side.

Serving (optional accompaniments)

If serving with rice, portion 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving and place alongside the tuna. Add pickled ginger (1–2 tbs) to the plate for palate cleansing. Serve immediately while tuna is warm at the edges and cool/rare in the center.