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What Is Tuna Tartare?

H. Bliss
H. Bliss

Tuna tartare is a dish made from raw tuna that has been cut into small pieces before serving. It can be chopped, cut into chunks, or sliced. Often, it is flavored by adding oils, spices, and other flavorings, but sometimes it is simply cut up raw tuna served in an attractive presentation. It is frequently served with crackers, chips, or toast, allowing the diner to spread the soft raw fish on the crunchy breaded item. Tuna served tartare style is similar to tuna sashimi, except that sashimi is more often cut into evenly sized slices or chunks.

This dish can be served in several ways. At a party, it might come in a serving dish with a spoon meant to dole out single servings on each guest's plate. It can also be served on pre-prepared crackers with the tuna and ingredients piled on top. At restaurants, it is often served in a visually appealing manner, usually shaped atop greens or sauces meant to complement the flavor of the dish.

Tuna tartare might be mixed with caviar.
Tuna tartare might be mixed with caviar.

In addition to the tuna meat, tuna tartare can also include other soft fruits and vegetables mixed in with the cut tuna. Common vegetable flavors combined with tuna in a tuna tartare include avocados, onions, and cabbage. It can also be mixed with caviar, roasted nuts, and toasted sesame seeds. When it is served with caviar, this dish is usually presented on top of a cracker, often an Asian-style cracker like a sesame cracker or fried wonton chip.

Tuna tartare is raw tuna that is chopped or sliced into chunks before serving.
Tuna tartare is raw tuna that is chopped or sliced into chunks before serving.

Sometimes, partially cooked tuna is used in a tartare, if it comes in the form of seared ahi. Ahi is one name for a variety of tuna called the yellowfin tuna. A popular way to serve ahi is to sear it, which means to cook it quickly at a high heat, before it is sliced and served. Searing ahi means that the outside of the fish is cooked to a crisp, while the warm inside remains raw. This is a common fish preparation that can make raw fish more palatable to picky eaters, and it can help introduce an otherwise squeamish eater to raw fish.

Cabbage is a common vegetable combined with tuna in a tuna tartare.
Cabbage is a common vegetable combined with tuna in a tuna tartare.

Tuna tartare is not the only dish that has pieces of raw tuna in it. It is a cousin to the popular marinated fish dish called a ceviche. Like tuna tartare, ceviche includes marinated raw fish mixed with other ingredients. The difference between a tuna ceviche and tuna tartare is that ceviche fish is marinated in citrus, which changes the texture and flavor of the fish. Texture changes in the fish cause citrus marinated fish to seem more cooked, though it is still raw.

Discussion Comments

bear78

@fBoyle-- If tuna is frozen and thawed soon before serving, I don't think that there is any risk.

I've had tuna tartare a few times and I like it. It tastes very fresh. It reminds me of sushi, but at the same time, it has a very French representation. I think the chef who invented it was Japanese but had training in French cuisine, so that makes sense.

It wasn't discovered in Japan or France though. It was discovered right here in the States.

fify

@fBoyle-- If the tuna is contaminated, if it's not fresh or kept well, tuna tartare can go bad and cause food poisoning. That's why it should only be eaten at good restaurants where fresh and high-quality ingredients are guaranteed.

Tuna tartare is not something that can be eaten just anywhere. And I don't think it can be made with cooked tuna because it just won't be tuna tartare anymore.

fBoyle

Isn't it dangerous to eat raw tuna? There must be a risk of food poisoning. Can fully cooked tuna be used for a tuna tartare recipe?

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    • Tuna tartare might be mixed with caviar.
      By: amlet
      Tuna tartare might be mixed with caviar.
    • Tuna tartare is raw tuna that is chopped or sliced into chunks before serving.
      By: Kondor83
      Tuna tartare is raw tuna that is chopped or sliced into chunks before serving.
    • Cabbage is a common vegetable combined with tuna in a tuna tartare.
      By: monticellllo
      Cabbage is a common vegetable combined with tuna in a tuna tartare.
    • Some species of tuna -- which provides the popular canned and fresh fish -- can grow more than six feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds.
      By: lunamarina
      Some species of tuna -- which provides the popular canned and fresh fish -- can grow more than six feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds.
    • Tuna tartare can be marinated using fresh orange juice.
      By: alexlukin
      Tuna tartare can be marinated using fresh orange juice.
    • Pregnant women should limit their consumption of raw fish in order to reduce the risk of mercury poisoning.
      By: Halfpoint
      Pregnant women should limit their consumption of raw fish in order to reduce the risk of mercury poisoning.