Steven Raichlen's Bacon-Wrapped Albacore Tuna Filet Mignons

Bacon-Wrapped Albacore Tuna Filet Mignons with Peppercorn Cream Sauce

Grilling albacore tuna steaks wrapped in bacon requires a two-zone heat approach to render the pork fat quickly without overcooking the delicate fish inside. Albacore is exceptionally lean, meaning it can dry out and turn chalky if left over high heat for even a minute too long. By wrapping thick, 1.5-inch steaks in bacon, you introduce rich, savory fat that bastes the exterior while mimicking the presentation and visual appeal of a classic beef filet mignon. Paired with a deeply savory cognac and green peppercorn cream sauce, this dish transforms fresh seafood into a robust, steakhouse-caliber meal. This recipe yields 4 servings, requires 15 minutes of prep time, and takes 10 minutes of active cook time.

When I cook these tuna 'filet mignons' on the Arteflame, I notice the bacon fat begins rendering at the edge of the 1,000°F center grate within 60 seconds, which crisps the wrap instantly while leaving the tuna perfectly rare inside. The flat-top surface catches every drop of that savory fat, allowing the tuna to effectively sear in a shallow layer of bacon drippings rather than losing all that flavor to the fire below. Building the sauce simultaneously on the same cooktop keeps the entire cooking process outdoors, ensuring everything hits the plate hot and perfectly timed.

Ingredients

Sourcing high-quality, sashimi-grade albacore tuna and standard-thickness bacon ensures the structural integrity of these filet mignons on the grill.

For the Tuna

• 4 albacore tuna steaks (6 ounces each, 1 1/2 inches thick)
• 4 strips bacon
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Peppercorn Cream Sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cognac or brandy
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons drained green peppercorns in brine, lightly crushed
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

Executing this dish requires managing intense, direct heat for the sear alongside gentle, controlled heat to hold the cream sauce without breaking it.

1. Prep and Tie the Tuna

1. Wrap each tuna steak with one strip of bacon, securing the bacon tightly with butcher's string tied around the circumference.
2. Brush the exposed top and bottom faces of the tuna lightly with the extra-virgin olive oil.
3. Season both faces generously with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let the steaks rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

2. Build the Peppercorn Cream Sauce

1. Fire up the Arteflame. Place a small cast-iron skillet on the outer flat-top ring where the steel temperature is approximately 400°F.
2. Melt the unsalted butter, then add the finely chopped shallot and minced garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until translucent.
3. Pour in the cognac and let the alcohol reduce for 1 minute.
4. Stir in the heavy cream, crushed green peppercorns, and Dijon mustard.
5. Slide the skillet to the extreme outer edge of the flat-top to hold at a gentle simmer. If cooking on a standard gas grill, build this sauce over a low burner, adjusting the knob frequently to prevent the cream from rapidly boiling over.

3. Sear the Tuna Filets

1. Place the bacon-wrapped tuna steaks directly on the 1,000°F center grate.
2. Sear for exactly 2 minutes per side to develop a deep, aggressive crust while keeping the center rare (aiming for an internal temperature of 115°F).
3. Using tongs, stand the steaks on their sides directly on the hot flat-top surface. Roll them slowly for 1 minute to finish rendering and crisping the bacon wrapping.

4. Plate and Serve

1. Transfer the tuna steaks to a clean cutting board and carefully snip and remove the butcher's string.
2. Transfer to serving plates and spoon the warm peppercorn cream sauce generously over the top. Serve immediately.

Pro Tips for Grilling Bacon-Wrapped Tuna

The key to bacon-wrapped seafood is ensuring the fat crisps entirely before the center of the fish dries out past 115°F.

• On a traditional grate grill, dripping bacon fat causes massive flare-ups that scorch the tuna with acrid smoke while a delicate sauce easily boils over on a side burner. The Arteflame solves this structurally: the solid steel outer flat-top ring safely manages rendering fat without flare-ups, while providing a dedicated cooler zone to hold the heavy cream at a gentle 180°F simmer.
• Use standard-cut bacon rather than thick-cut; thick-cut bacon requires far too much time to render and will force you to overcook the delicate albacore.
• Crush the green peppercorns using the flat side of a chef's knife or the back of a spoon before adding them to the sauce; leaving them whole traps their sharp, briny flavor inside.
• When rolling the tuna on its side to crisp the bacon, do it on the flat-top rather than the open grate to ensure the bacon makes full, even contact with the hot steel.

Flavor Variations

Modifying this recipe involves swapping the protein or adjusting the sauce base to match different flavor profiles while keeping the core technique identical.

• Prosciutto Wrap: Swap the bacon for thinly sliced prosciutto for a lighter, saltier crust that crisps in half the time.
• Swordfish Filet Mignons: Substitute albacore with thick swordfish steaks, cooking them slightly longer to an internal temperature of 130°F.
• Bourbon Cream: Replace the cognac or brandy with a high-rye bourbon for a sweeter, oakier sauce profile.
• Caper Herb Sauce: Omit the green peppercorns and mustard, stirring in 2 tablespoons of drained capers and a handful of fresh chopped dill just before serving.

Side Dish Pairings

Rich, bacon-wrapped tuna paired with heavy cream demands acidic and crisp side dishes to cut through the high fat content.

• Blistered Cherry Tomatoes: Toss whole cherry tomatoes in olive oil and blister them on the 1,000°F center grate until they burst, releasing their acidic juices.
• Grilled Asparagus Spears: Cook thick asparagus stalks on the outer flat-top ring, finishing them with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• Crispy Potato Galette: Fry thinly sliced potatoes in duck fat or butter on the medium-heat zone of the flat-top until deeply golden and crunchy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when albacore tuna is perfectly cooked?

Albacore tuna is perfectly cooked when a quick-read thermometer registers 115°F in the center. At this temperature, the exterior is safely seared while the interior remains warm and deeply red. Cooking it past 125°F causes the extremely lean muscle fibers to dry out and become unpleasantly chalky.

Can I cook the peppercorn cream sauce directly on the grill?

Yes, cooking the sauce on the grill is ideal if you have distinct heat zones. On the Arteflame, you can boil the cognac near the center grate, then slide the skillet to the cooler outer flat-top ring. On a conventional grill, you must carefully ride the lowest burner setting.

How do you keep bacon from falling off the tuna while grilling?

The only reliable method to secure bacon around a thick tuna steak is tying it with 100% cotton butcher's string. Toothpicks often fail to hold the tension as the bacon shrinks during rendering, and they easily catch fire or break off during the flipping process.

What is the best way to crisp the bacon without overcooking the fish?

Use standard-cut bacon and sear the fish over extreme heat, such as a 1,000°F grate, for no more than 2 minutes per side. Finish by standing the tied steaks on their sides against a solid hot surface, rotating them manually to direct the heat exclusively into the bacon.

Steakhouse Technique for Fresh Seafood

Serving bacon-wrapped albacore tuna with peppercorn cream sauce brings classic steakhouse technique directly to fresh fish. The combination of intense charcoal flavor, crispy rendered pork fat, and a velvet-smooth cognac sauce elevates a simple tuna steak into an impressive, highly textured centerpiece.

Mastering this dish on the Arteflame highlights the versatility of cooking with natural heat zones. Moving seamlessly from a blistering center-grate sear to a gentle, controlled simmer on the outer flat-top ring makes executing complex, multi-component meals effortless and incredibly rewarding.