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Brazil · Bluefin Tuna

Brazilian Charcoal-Grilled Tuna

Atum na Brasa

Southern Brazil grills tuna the way it grills beef at a churrasco: thick steaks, nothing but coarse salt, a blazing charcoal fire, and a bowl of fresh vinagrete on the side.

  • Prep 10 min
  • Cook 10 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Tosoliver · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: Brazilian Tomato and Onion Vinaigrette ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the tuna

For the garlic butter

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Build a hot fire. Light a charcoal fire and let it burn down to glowing coals with a thin layer of white ash. Clean and oil the grate.
  2. Salt the tuna. Rub the steaks with olive oil and press the coarse salt onto both sides just before grilling.
  3. Grill. Grill 2–3 minutes per side over the hottest coals, turning once, until well marked outside and red to pink in the center. Sear the edges for a few seconds too.
  4. Garlic butter. Stir the garlic and parsley into the melted butter while the tuna rests 3 minutes.
  5. Slice and serve. Tap off any loose salt, slice the steaks thick across the grain, drizzle with garlic butter and serve with vinagrete, rice and farofa.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Brazil

Brazilian Tomato and Onion Vinaigrette

Molho à Campanha (Vinagrete)

A fresh chopped salsa of tomato, onion and green pepper in vinegar and oil. At every Brazilian churrasco and beach grill it goes over the fish and rice.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 0 min
  • Serves 6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley or cilantro
  • ¼ cup white or red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

How to make it

  1. Chop small. Dice the tomato, onion and pepper into small, even pieces, about ¼ inch (5 mm).
  2. Dress. Mix the vegetables and herbs in a bowl. Add the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir well.
  3. Rest. Let it sit 15–30 minutes so the onion mellows. Stir again and serve cold with a spoon.

Photo: Wilfredor · CC0

More ways to cook Bluefin Tuna

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Bermeo, Basque Country, SpainMarmitako: Basque Tuna and Potato Stew
Trapani, Sicily, ItalySicilian Sweet-and-Sour Tuna
Cojímar, CubaCuban Grilled Bluefin with Mojo