Swordfish steaks is easier to cook with than it looks. Here's how to choose, use, and store them, what to substitute, and 46 recipes to get you started.

What are swordfish steaks?

Swordfish is the steak of the sea. The flesh is firm and meaty, with large muscle flakes that cut more like a pork chop than a flaky white fillet.

It is sold as thick crosscut steaks, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch and a half, often with a strip of skin still on. The raw flesh runs pale pink to ivory and cooks up creamy white.

The flavor is mild and a little sweet, with none of the strong "fishy" edge that puts some people off seafood. That firmness is the whole point: swordfish holds together on a grill grate or a skewer where a delicate fillet would fall apart.

How to Cook Swordfish Steaks

Grilling and broiling are the natural fits. The dense flesh takes high, direct heat without flaking apart, and a hot grate gives you those clean sear marks.

Get the grill or broiler good and hot. Oil the fish lightly, then cook a one-inch steak about four to five minutes a side. You want a deep golden crust and an interior that has just turned opaque.

Searing in a hot cast-iron pan works just as well indoors. Grilled Swordfish with Barbecue Sauce and Charbroiled Swordfish with Citrus Salsa both lean on that char, while Broiled Swordfish Steaks keeps it simple under the element.

Because it is lean, swordfish dries out fast once it is past done. A marinade or a basting sauce buys you a margin: the lemon and olive oil in Lemon & Herb Crusted Swordfish, or the rich coconut in Malaysian Lime-Coconut Swordfish, keep the surface moist while it cooks.

Keeping It Moist, and the Mercury Note

The classic swordfish mistake is treating it like a forgiving fatty fish and walking away. It has less fat than salmon, so it crosses from juicy to cottony in a minute or two of extra heat.

Pull it at 130°F (54°C) in the center, while it still has the faintest translucent line, and let it rest. The carryover finishes it to a clean opaque without drying the edges.

Swordfish wants assertive partners. Charred lemon, capers, olives, tomato, garlic, and fresh herbs all cut its richness. Swordfish with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Swordfish tacos with lime & cilantro show the bright, punchy direction it likes.

One health note worth knowing. Swordfish is a large, long-lived predator and carries among the highest mercury levels of common fish. The U.S. FDA advises pregnant people and young children to avoid it entirely; everyone else should treat it as an occasional treat rather than a weeknight staple.

What to Use Instead

Mako shark and marlin are the closest swaps, with the same firm, steak-like texture, though both share swordfish's mercury concern. For an everyday substitute, a thick tuna steak or a meaty halibut steak grills and sears much the same way.

Mahi-mahi is a good lower-mercury choice when you want that firm, hold-together bite. None of these is as dense as swordfish, so check them a minute or two earlier.

Buying and Storing Swordfish

Look for steaks with moist, tight-grained flesh and no gaps between the muscle bundles. A faint bloodline is normal; it should be reddish, not brown. The flesh should smell clean and faintly sweet, never sour or ammonia-like.

Avoid dull, dried-out steaks, and any sitting in a pool of milky liquid. Those are signs of age.

Cook fresh swordfish within a day or two of buying. Keep it on ice or in the coldest part of the fridge, well wrapped. It freezes well thanks to its density: wrap it airtight and use it within two to three months for the best texture.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find swordfish steaks: Swordfish steaks are usually found in the fish section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Swordfish steaks are a member of the Finfish and Shellfish Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

箭鱼牛排

British (UK) term

Swordfish steaks

en français

steaks d'espadon

en español

filetes de pez espada

How much do swordfish steaks weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 piece (4-1/2" x 2-1/8" x 7/8")	136 grams
3 ounce	85 grams

Related

Finfish and Shellfish Products

Recipes using swordfish steaks

There are 46 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 46 recipes