Otoro at 55 degrees: Lightly seared · 590

Sold by fat band, not BMS — colour and cold-chain beat a stamp. The forward belly, and the summit of tuna fat. Everything this cut is worth comes down to a fat density that starts melting the moment it meets body temperature. The fat striations should run close together and evenly, without breaking up.

Colour, sinew, where the fat sits, and thickness are what you check before you pay. Ask for the thickness that matches “Lightly seared.” Use 55 degrees and 55 when you cook. Salt after you know the job. Do not play with undercooked meat. At the counter, read the use on Otoro before the photograph. 55 degrees is the internal heat, “Lightly seared” is the dish, and 55 is the stage of the fire. Marbling alone does not split stew from grill. Straight from the fridge it stays mute; a few minutes out and the fat opens up completely.

At the counter, read the use on Otoro before the photograph. 55 degrees is the internal heat, “Lightly seared” is the dish, and 55 is the stage of the fire. Marbling alone does not split stew from grill. Straight from the fridge it stays mute; a few minutes out and the fat opens up completely.