Have you tried otoro sushi (super fatty tuna belly sushi)? This well-marbled fatty tuna literary melts in your mouth like butter when prepared correctly. My husband and my favorite sushi restaurant always prepares otoro sushi in two ways for us, one regular and one seared and topped with yuzu extract. We had been thinking that we should prepare seared tuna on our own since we bought a culinary torch last year with attempt to make crème brûlée (but haven’t had a chance yet). We finally made it so I want to share how to prepare this super easy seared otoro with you today.
Toro refers the lowest section of the tuna belly and there’s only a small portion per tuna so they are usually quite pricey. For this recipe we purchased the otoro from our local Japanese market for $59.99/lb. Typically toro is classified into otoro (super fatty tuna belly) and chutoro (medium fatty tuna belly). Compared to maguro (tuna sashimi), toro is usually much lighter in color due to the high fat content. Not all Japanese restaurants in the US actually offer authentic otoro. Quite a few times I’ve been to Japanese restaurants where they tried passing off albacore tuna as their toro sushi.
I need to emphasize here that this won’t really work with regular tuna sashimi due to the low fat content. Make sure when you are ready to enjoy your otoro, take out from the fridge until it warms up close to room temperature. As it warms up, the fat liquefies and it was interesting see how they catch on fire when searing with a blow torch. Enjoy and have fun searing!
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Seared Tuna Sashimi (Aburi Toro)
Ingredients
- sashimi-grade super fatty tuna belly (otoro)
- green onion/scallion (finely sliced)
- yuzu juice (extract) (you can find bottled extract at Japanese grocery stores)
Instructions
- With a very sharp knife, slice the sashimi-grade super fatty tuna belly (otoro) into thin slices roughly ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. For detailed instructions, please see my guide on how to slice sashimi. You don’t want it too thin or else the torch will cook through the entire slice.
- Cover a plate with aluminum foil and place the sashimi slices on top. Sear the sashimi with a culinary blow torch until the top surface is lightly brown. The goal is to lightly sear the outside while keeping it raw on the inside.
- Serve on a plate and sprinkle with sliced green onion/scallion. Dip in yuzu juice (extract) to enjoy!
To Store
- Sashimi-grade fish must be refrigerated at all times and consumed within 24 hours.
Nutrition
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