Eat » 15 Minutes »
Rare Japanese Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Mayo and Pickled Ginger
serves 2

Japanese Tuna BurgerINGREDIENTS

  • 4 slider buns, halved horizontally
  • ¾ pound fresh sushi-grade tuna steak
  • 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon wasabi
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
  • Butter or Boston or Bibb lettuce
  • Pickled ginger

PROCEDURE

Preheat a large nonstick skillet on high heat, and place the buns, cut-side-down in the pan to lightly toast.  Remove them when they are golden brown.

While the buns are toasting, cut the tuna into chunks.  Put the chunks in a food processor with the soy sauce and a pinch of salt and pulse until the tuna has the same texture as ground beef.  Take the tuna out of the food processor, and form into 4 patties.

Make the wasabi mayonnaise by whisking together the wasabi and the mayonnaise.

Make the burgers.  With the pan on high heat, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan and immediately put the tuna burgers in.  I cook them 30 to 60 seconds on each side, because I like them super rare.  Use a slotted spatula to flip them over.  Take the pan off the heat when you are done cooking the burgers.

Spread some wasabi mayo on each bun.  Top the burger with some lettuce (I forgot it in the video, but you should use it!) and pickled ginger.  Serve with cucumber salad on the side (I toss chunks of cucumbers with soy sauce and sesame seeds).  You’re done!

print this recipe