Grilled Tuna Steaks

With Chris Schlesinger

Since 1985 when Chris Schlesinger opened the East Coast Grill in Cambridege, Massachusetts, he has been regarded as the one of the preeminent grill masters in America. A regular on Martha Stewart and many, many cooking and television shows, he is also the co-author of several books on the subject.

Chris was born and raised in Virginia, where he first started cooking and developed his passion for barbecue, spicy foods of all kinds and cooking over a live fire.

Here are a few of his best grilling tips:

According to Chris, it was actually his dad that taught him about the thrill of grilling. He always made a huge production out of getting ready to grill ... “making sure of proper planet alignment, wind direction, and barometric pressure."

Chris’s must-have grill tools include long handled tongs
, a wire metal brush
 and last but not least a favorite beverage (since grilling is an exact science, and there is always pressure to make it perfect, your favorite beverage keeps you cool under fire)

And his never fail grill tip 
is to have a full range of fire under the grill, a graduated range from very hot to no heat at all.

Lightly rub the tuna steaks with oil and then season with salt and pepper. Grill the tuna steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side over a medium hot fire, and be careful not to overcook them. Check for doneness by bending the tuna steaks gently and peer inside of it, looking for a slight translucence in the center. Remove the steaks from the grill and place on top of the salad.

Ingredients

Chris’s must-have grill tools include long handled tongs, a wire metal brush and last but not least a favorite beverage (since grilling is an exact science, and there is always pressure to make it perfect, your favorite beverage keeps you cool under fire).
2 (8 to 10 ounce) boneless tuna steaks, 1 inch thick
4 tablespoons salad oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper (white is best) to taste

Instructions

1. Lightly rub the tuna steaks with oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill the tuna steaks 4 to 5 minutes per side over a medium hot fire, being careful not to overcook them.
3. Check for doneness by bending a steak gently and peering inside it, looking for a slight translucence in the center.
Remove the steaks from the grill and serve with condiments or place on top of a salad.

Recipe courtesy of The Thrill of the Grill by Christopher Schlesinger and John Willoughby, Chronical Books, 1996.

Chris was born and raised in Virginia, where he first developed his love for barbecue, spicy food and live fire cooking. He entered the foodservice industry at age 18, when he left college and became a dishwasher. Fascinated by the intense energy and teamwork that are the heart of any restaurant kitchen, Chris went on to become a line cook, and then decided to pursue a formal culinary education at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) where he graduated in 1977.

Following his graduation from the CIA in 1977, Chris worked in 35 different restaurants, working with New England's most innovative chefs during the first blossoming of nouvelle cuisine. He also continued his extensive travels to regions featuring overhead waves and low 80s temperatures, further honing his fondness for loud flavors, seafood, and grilling.

In 1986 Chris opened the East Coast Grill, in 1989, Jake and Earl's Dixie BBQ and in 1990, The Blue Room. All of these restaurants received national attention. In 1996 Chris consolidated his restaurant efforts and revamped the East Coast Grill, tripling its size and shifting its focus to seafood. In 1999 Chris opened the Back Eddy in Westport, MA, overlooking the Westport River. Close relationships with local farmers, fishermen, brewers, vintners and cheese makers define the menu at the Back Eddy.

Chris is the co-author with John Willoughby of five cookbooks: the James Beard Cookbook Award winner, The Thrill of the Grill (Morrow, 1990); Salsas, Sambals, Chutneys, and Chowchows (Morrow, 1993); Big Flavors of the Hot Sun (Morrow, 1994); Lettuce in Your Kitchen (Morrow, 1996); and License to Grill (Morrow, 1997). They also have a monthly feature in The New York Times, and have written numerous articles for magazines such as GQ and Food & Wine. Chris is also a Contributing Editor for Saveur magazine.

An accomplished cooking teacher, Chris has taught culinary students at his alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America, in both the New York and Napa Valley campuses. Chris was the winner of the 1996 James Beard Awards "Best Chef of the Northeast". He has appeared on dozens of television shows around the USA to talk about food and cooking, has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences, and has been featured in over 200 magazine and newspaper articles. Chris is also a founding member of the national organization Chefs 2000 and actively works with local farmers to preserve farming in New England.