Maguro Zuke-Done (Marinated Tuna on Rice)

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An ultra easy healthy meal to make, this maguro zuke-don is made with chunks of sashimi grade tuna marinated in an umami packed sauce and served over sticky rice is absolutely incredible.

If you've ever wanted to try a fresh tuna recipe at home, this is the one for you (or this sous vide tuna if you prefer a seared tuna dish).

If you're a lover of sashimi like I am, this recipe is going to knock your socks off. It's so easy to make and the flavors are just incredible.

Plus, it's healthy and you can serve it over brown rice or even in a salad to make it even healthier (I'm a sticky rice fanatic, so I'm steamed white rice all the way).

You might also want to try this homemade spicy tuna, sushi crab mix or this cured ikura - they are FIRE!

Jump to:

• What is Maguro?
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients
• Step By Step Instructions
• Expert Tips
• Serving Options
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is Maguro?

Maguro is the Japanese term for tuna, and there are several different species of tuna that are commonly used in Japanese cuisine and around the world. The most common types of maguro include:

1. Bluefin Tuna (Hon-maguro): Bluefin tuna is highly prized for its rich, fatty flesh and is often considered the highest quality maguro. There are three primary species of bluefin tuna: Northern Bluefin (Thunnus thynnus), Pacific Bluefin (Thunnus orientalis), and Southern Bluefin (Thunnus maccoyii). Bluefin tuna can be further categorized by their fat content, with "otoro" being the fattiest and most luxurious part.
2. Yellowfin Tuna (Ahi): Yellowfin tuna is another popular variety of maguro. It has a mild flavor and is often used in sushi and sashimi. It's known for its bright pink to deep red flesh.
3. Bigeye Tuna: Bigeye tuna is similar in appearance to yellowfin tuna but has a slightly higher fat content. It is often used in sashimi and sushi.
4. Albacore Tuna: Albacore tuna has a mild flavor and is commonly canned for tuna fish sandwiches. It is also used for sushi and sashimi.
5. Skipjack Tuna (Katsuo): Skipjack tuna is often used in Japanese cuisine for dishes like tataki and sashimi. It has a stronger flavor compared to some other types of maguro.
6. Bonito (Katsuo): Bonito is a type of tuna often used for making dried fish flakes called "katsuobushi." It has a distinct smoky flavor and is used to make dashi, a fundamental Japanese broth.
7. White Tuna (Escolar): While not technically a type of maguro, white tuna, or escolar, is sometimes served as "white tuna" in sushi restaurants. It has a buttery texture but can cause digestive issues in some people, so it should be consumed in moderation.

These are some of the most commonly encountered types of maguro, each with its unique flavor, texture, and culinary uses. The choice of maguro for a particular dish depends on factors like taste preference, regional availability, and the specific culinary application.

We use blue-fin tuna for this recipe as it is the traditional type of tuna used for this dish.

Why This Recipe Works

• It is very quick and easy to make, only requiring a 30 minute marinade before serving.
• The marinade is very simple, but packed full of incredible flavors.
• It is versatile and can be served over anything you prefer - rice, seasoned sushi rice (makes the dish tekka-don instead of maguro-don) salad, noodles, plain, etc.
• Tuna has a lot of health benefits and good qualities to it that makes this the perfect delicious healthy meal.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Sashimi grade blue fine tuna (also known as maguro) is a must for this recipe. Tuna that is not sashimi quality may not be safe to eat raw, so this is very important.

The authentic version of this dish uses only the red (lean) part of the tuna. However, you can use whatever part you like, as long as it's sashimi quality. I typically use a mixture of red and slightly fattier.

I serve it on sticky rice, which is short grain Japanese rice.

We use mirin, a Japanese sweet wine, and sake, a Japanese rice wine in the marinade.

For the soy sauce, you can use good old Kikkoman, but I like to use a nice craft soy sauce for even better flavor.

The sesame oil provides a wonderful nutty flavor to he marinade that I absolutely love.

Lastly, the dashi broth adds a bit of umami flavor to the marinade.

Step By Step Instructions

Cut the fish into 1" pieces and set aside.

Combine the marinade ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. **this is important - if the tuna is added while it's still warm it will cook.

Pour the marinade over the fish and let it sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Serve over sticky rice with toppings.

Expert Tips

1. Don't leave the fish in the marinade for more than 30 minutes or it could become too salty.
2. You can also use salmon, yellow tail or red snapper in place of the tuna if you'd like. Just make sure it's sashimi quality.
3. The marinade needs to be totally cool before adding the tuna, otherwise the tuna will cook.

Serving Options

Use whatever topping you like - here are some ideas:

• nori strips
• fried garlic
• thinly sliced raw shallots
• sesame seeds
• chopped green onions
• wasabi
• togarashi (for some spice)
• pasteurized egg yolk (or one of the sous vide poached eggs would be great)

Frequently Asked Questions

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