Sear tuna at ripping hot pan for 60 seconds per side.

Do not overthink this. Get a cast iron or stainless pan smoking hot, pat the tuna dry, season aggressively, and sear for exactly 60 seconds per side (assuming a 1-inch thick steak). That gives you a proper crust and a cool, raw center.

The internal temperature you want for rare is 125°F (52°C). But honestly, if you’re cooking a grade-A sushi-grade steak, you don’t even need to temp it—just trust time and feel. The tuna should give slightly when pressed, like sticking a finger into a raw steak. If it’s firm all the way through, you’ve overcooked it.

One mistake people make: oiling the tuna instead of the pan. Don’t. Oil the pan, not the fish. And let the tuna rest for a minute after searing before slicing—against the grain, obviously.

If you can’t get it rare on the first try, you’re either not using high enough heat or you’re flipping too early. Fix one of those and you’ll nail it.