Are grocery store tuna steaks safe if cooked but rare?
We got 2 tuna steaks from a grocery store, and we are pretty sure they they are NOT sushi grade. We cooked them tonight for a bit, and left the middle of the steak pretty rare.
How safe is this? I should've asked this question before cooking obviously but hindsight is 20-20. Everything I have read on other sites states that there is "some" risk of parasites but it's hard to get a straight answer as to how safe this food was. We got the stakes at our local H-mart, an Asian market.
Best Answer
Relevant US and Canadian food authorities all recommend that undercooked (i.e. seared but red in the middle) tuna should only be eaten if it was properly deep-frozen to kill any parasites first. And even that isn't completely risk-free.
Studies of the current tuna supply shows it to be widely infected with parasites, to the point that the majority of tuna you're likely to buy had at least one parasite that could affect your health. Most of the time, though, health effects are mild (although uncomfortable at the time).
However, most tuna is flash-frozen at sea when caught, whether sold as "fresh" or not. As such, your odds of getting tuna with viable parasites is still low, whether or not it's labelled "sushi-grade". In my non-expert opinion, you're more at risk from bacterial contamination introduced at the grocery store than you are from fish parasites.
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Can you cook store bought tuna rare?
Yes, raw tuna is generally safe to eat when prepared properly, and is actually highly nutritious. Often, the best pieces of tuna are saved for this kind of consumption, so don't dismiss raw tuna steak as unappetizing. Sushi bars and fancy restaurants often serve it \u2013 for good reason.Is it safe to cook tuna steaks rare?
Tuna can be served cooked to rare, or cooked to a crust on the outside and raw in the centre, known as tataki in Japan. Pan-frying or griddling make this easier to control.Is it OK for tuna steak to be pink?
Tuna steaks need a watchful eye during cooking to remain tender and moist. Don't be turned off if your tuna looks medium-rare, whether you're baking tuna steak, skillet-cooking tuna steak, or grilling it. Because tuna steaks get dry and chewy when overcooked, the center should still be pink when it's done cooking.Is tuna steak supposed to be cooked all the way through?
But tuna steaks are usually served seared on the outside and raw on the inside. Look up any seared ahi tuna recipe and you will see that it is almost always cooked this way. If you order it a restaurant, it's bound to be cooked medium-rare as well.Eating Raw Tuna, Even From Walmart | How To Cut Fresh Tuna For Sashimi
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