Elevate your burger game with these flavorful Tuna Burgers made from fresh bluefin, yellowfin, or bigeye tuna. Served on a toasted bun with crispy, smoky Swordfish Bacon, these burgers are seared to perfection while staying tender and slightly rare inside. Perfect for seafood lovers looking for a bold, gourmet twist on a classic favorite.
Tuna Burgers
Makes about 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound bluefin, yellowfin, or bigeye tuna (tougher head and tails cuts work great)
- Swordfish Bacon (recipe follows)
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Hamburger buns
Instructions
- Freeze tuna for 20 minutes. Then place in meat grinder or slice against the grain of the meat and pulse in food processor until chopped into small pieces.
- Using a 4-inch ring mold or burger press, form 4 patties on parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- In a large skillet, fry slices of Swordfish Bacon over medium-high heat until crispy, turning once. Set aside and keep warm.
- Season tuna with salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet over high heat, add canola oil and butter, and carefully add patties. Cook on one side until slightly browned and crisped, about 2 minutes; flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side. The patties should be slightly rare inside. Serve on your favorite bun with all the classic condiments and Swordfish Bacon.
Swordfish Bacon
Makes about 2 pounds
Ingredients
- ½ cup turbinado sugar
- ⅓ cup kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon celery juice powder (optional)
- 2 pounds swordfish belly, skinned and trimmed of silver skin
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and celery juice powder (if using). Coat the bellies thoroughly with sugar mixture; carefully wrap in plastic, and allow it to cure overnight. The next day, wipe off excess cure, and place in a smoker, preferably with apple wood, and smoke at 160° for 1 hour. Place in refrigerator to cool. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before cooking.
