Salpicao doesn't always have to mean beef. Tuna belly makes a very delicious alternative.

It has the richness you want for salpicao, but cooks in a fraction of the time. Cut Pacific Bay Premium Tuna Belly into chunky cubes, give them a fast sear, then toss with garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and calamansi until everything is glossy and savory. The trick is treating the tuna differently from beef: high heat, quick cooking, and no lingering around in the pan.

Pile it over garlic rice for an easy lunch, serve it sizzling in the middle of the table as pulutan, or add a fried egg and call it breakfast. Just don't be shy with the crispy garlic. 

Tuna Belly Salpicao

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the Tuna Belly

300g Pacific Bay Premium Tuna Belly, cut into bite-sized cubes
3 tbsp olive oil or unsalted butter, or a combination of both
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, or diced garlic
sea salt, to taste
½ tsp coarsely cracked black pepper, plus more for finishing

For the Salpicao Sauce

2 tbsp premium soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp calamansi extract or lemon juice
½ tsp sugar, optional
Chili flakes, optional

For Finishing

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or spring onion
Crispy garlic
Calamansi wedges, optional

Procedure

Prepare the tuna. Pat the tuna belly cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season lightly with sea salt and a little black pepper. Getting the surface dry will help the tuna sear rather than steam once it hits the hot pan.

Make the crispy garlic. Heat the olive oil, butter, or a combination of both in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until lightly golden and crisp, watching carefully because it can go from golden to burnt quickly. Remove the garlic and set aside, leaving the flavorful oil in the pan.

Sear the tuna belly quickly. Increase the heat to high. Once the pan is hot, add the tuna belly in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. Sear for about 1 minute per side, just until nicely browned outside while keeping the center juicy.

Build the salpicao sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and calamansi extract or lemon juice. Add the sugar, if using, then toss briefly to coat the tuna in the glossy sauce without letting it simmer for too long.

Finish with plenty of pepper. Add a generous amount of ground black pepper and chili flakes, if you want some heat. For an extra-rich finish, toss in a small knob of butter and let it melt into the sauce just before taking the pan off the heat.

Serve immediately. Transfer the Tuna Belly Salpicao to a serving plate and scatter the crispy garlic and chopped parsley or spring onion over the top. Serve hot with steamed rice, garlic rice, or calamansi wedges on the side.

Notes

Why Pacific Bay?

Pacific Bay Premium Tuna Belly is sliced from wild-caught Yellowfin tuna. It's the fattiest, juciest part of the fish, giving it rich flavor and tender meat. It'sparticularly well suited to salpicao because its richer character stands up beautifully to strong flavors like garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper. It gives you a satisfying seafood alternative to the usual beef salpicao while cooking in a fraction of the time.

Chef's Tip

Think sear, not simmer. Get the pan properly hot and cook the tuna belly quickly, preferably in a single uncrowded layer. Once the sauce goes in, toss just long enough to coat the pieces. Leaving tuna bubbling in the sauce for several minutes can take it from juicy to dry surprisingly quickly. For extra richness, finish with a small knob of unsalted butter just before taking the pan off the heat.

Easy Alternatives

No fresh calamansi? Use calamansi extract or lemon juice for the acidity that balances the rich tuna and savory sauce. You can cook the salpicao with olive oil, butter, or a combination of both. Spring onions can replace parsley, while chili flakes or sliced fresh chilies add a little heat.

Alternatives

You can use the same salpicao treatment with other meaty fish. Cut Pacific Bay Tuna Steak or Pacific Bay Swordfish Steak into generous cubes and sear them quickly before tossing with the sauce. Pacific Bay Salmon Fillet Portions and Salmon Crazy Cuts also work beautifully if you want an even richer version. Whichever fish you choose, adjust the cooking time according to the size and thickness of the pieces and avoid overcooking.

Serving Suggestions

For an easy meal, spoon Tuna Belly Salpicao over hot steamed rice or garlic rice and let the savory sauce soak in. Add a fried egg if you're in silog territory. For entertaining, serve it straight from a hot skillet with toothpicks and extra calamansi on the side for an easy seafood pulutan. A simple cucumber salad or sautéed greens can add something fresh alongside all that garlic and richness.

One Last Bite

The beauty of Tuna Belly Salpicao is that almost everything happens fast: crisp the garlic, sear the tuna, toss in the sauce, done. Twenty minutes later, you've got juicy chunks of tuna belly covered in garlicky, peppery, savory sauce. The only part worth slowing down for is making sure you get some crispy garlic in every bite.

FAQs

Can I use tuna belly for salpicao?

Yes. Tuna belly's richer character works particularly well with the garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper associated with salpicao-style dishes. Just remember that tuna cooks much faster than beef.

How do I keep tuna belly from becoming dry?

Use a hot pan and a short cooking time. Pat the tuna dry, avoid crowding the skillet, and sear it quickly. Once you add the sauce, toss just long enough to coat the pieces rather than letting them simmer for several minutes.

How large should I cut the tuna belly?

Aim for generous bite-sized cubes rather than very small pieces. Larger pieces are easier to sear while keeping the centers juicy.

Can I use butter instead of olive oil?

Yes. Butter gives the salpicao a richer flavor, while olive oil is useful for searing. You can also use a combination of olive oil and butter to get the benefits of both.

Can I use lemon instead of calamansi?

Yes. Calamansi gives the dish a distinctly Filipino citrus note, but lemon provides the acidity needed to balance the rich tuna and savory sauce.

Can I make Tuna Belly Salpicao spicy?

Absolutely. Add chili flakes while finishing the sauce or serve sliced fresh chilies alongside. Keep the heat moderate if you still want the garlic, pepper, and tuna to come through clearly.

What should I serve with Tuna Belly Salpicao?

Steamed rice and garlic rice are the easiest pairings. You can also add sautéed vegetables, a fried egg, or a fresh salad, or simply serve the salpicao on its own as pulutan with calamansi on the side.

Can I make Tuna Belly Salpicao ahead of time?

This one is best cooked just before serving. The recipe only takes about 20 minutes, and freshly seared tuna will have a better texture than tuna that's been fully cooked, chilled, and reheated.

Give Salpicao a Seafood Switch

Start with Pacific Bay Premium Tuna Belly, add plenty of garlic and cracked black pepper, and you've got a quick seafood take on a Filipino favorite that's equally at home over garlic rice or in the middle of the pulutan table. Shop at PacificBay.com.ph and leading supermarkets nationwide. Real seafood made easy.