Can You Eat Swordfish Medium Rare? | Safer Temp, Better Bite

Yes, swordfish can be eaten medium rare, but 145°F is the safety target, and higher-risk diners should stick to fully cooked fish.

Swordfish sits in a weird middle ground. It’s a firm, steak-like fish that stays juicy at lower temps, so “medium rare” sounds tempting. At the same time, fish safety rules don’t care about vibe. They care about heat, time, and clean handling.

This article gives you a straight answer, then the practical stuff: what “medium rare” means for swordfish, what risks change with doneness, how to lower those risks at home, and when you should skip undercooked swordfish entirely.

What “Medium Rare” Means For Swordfish

For swordfish, “medium rare” usually means a warm center that’s still pink and glossy, with the outside turning opaque. If you track it by thermometer, people tend to call it medium rare around 125–135°F (52–57°C).

That range can taste great. It can also fall short of the common public-health cooking target for finfish. The FDA’s consumer guidance for seafood points to cooking finfish to 145°F (63°C). FDA seafood cooking guidance uses 145°F and gives visual cues when a thermometer isn’t handy.

So the trade is simple: lower temps can mean a softer bite, and also less margin for germs that heat would knock down.

Taking Swordfish Medium Rare: Food Safety Rules That Don’t Change

Two things decide whether undercooked fish is a gamble or a controlled move: how the fish was handled before it hit your kitchen, and the heat it reaches in the center.

Undercooked Fish Can Carry Germs

Fish can carry bacteria from handling, storage, and cross-contact in the kitchen. Heat is the cleanest “reset” button you control at home. Public guidance across U.S. agencies converges on a 145°F minimum internal temperature for fish. FoodSafety.gov temperature chart lists safe minimum internal temperatures and stresses using a thermometer.

Parasites Are A Separate Issue

Some marine fish can carry parasites. Cooking kills them. Freezing can also kill many parasites when done under strict time-and-temp rules used by suppliers. The CDC describes anisakiasis as an illness that comes from eating raw or undercooked marine fish that contains larvae. CDC anisakiasis overview explains the cause and transmission.

Swordfish is often sold as thick steaks. Thickness makes even heating harder, which raises the value of a thermometer.

Mercury Is Not About Doneness

Doneness doesn’t change mercury. Swordfish is a high-mercury fish, so some people should avoid it even when fully cooked. The joint federal advice for fish intake calls out limiting mercury exposure for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and kids. EPA–FDA fish advice explains who needs lower-mercury choices.

If you’re in a higher-risk group, the “medium rare” question becomes easy: skip it. Pick a lower-mercury fish and cook it through.

When Medium Rare Swordfish Is A Bad Call

Some diners don’t get a second chance with foodborne illness. If any of these fit, keep swordfish fully cooked, or choose a different fish.

Pregnancy And Breastfeeding

Swordfish sits on the “avoid” side for many pregnancy-focused fish lists because of mercury. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, choose lower-mercury seafood and keep it fully cooked.

Kids

Kids have smaller bodies and less tolerance for both germs and mercury exposure. A fully cooked, lower-mercury fish is the safer lane.

Weakened Immune System Or Chronic Illness

If you’re on immune-suppressing meds, in cancer treatment, or dealing with a condition that makes infections hit harder, undercooked fish isn’t worth the risk. Stick to the 145°F target.

Questionable Sourcing Or Storage

If the fish sat too warm, smelled “off,” came from a fish counter that looks sloppy, or spent a long ride home without ice, don’t try to “save” it with medium rare. Heat can help, yet it can’t undo every handling mistake. In that situation, toss it or cook it all the way and accept a drier steak.

How To Decide At Home Without Guesswork

If you want a medium-rare style center, your job is to control every step you can control. That starts at the store and ends at the thermometer.

Buy The Right Cut

Pick a center-cut steak with even thickness. Avoid ragged edges and thin tail pieces for this style of cooking. Even thickness means the center heats on schedule instead of lagging behind.

Use A Thermometer, Not A Timer

Timers lie. Thickness, starting temperature, pan type, and burner strength all change the finish line. A fast-read probe thermometer is cheap insurance.

Know What Your Target Really Is

There are two targets people talk about:

• Texture target: a pink, juicy center (often 125–135°F).
• Safety target: 145°F in the center for finfish in federal consumer guidance.

You get to pick which one you’re chasing. Just don’t pretend they’re the same thing.

Practical Moves That Lower Risk If You Still Want Medium Rare

You can’t erase risk with clever wording. You can shrink it with clean handling, smart prep, and tight temperature control.

Start Cold Storage The Right Way

Keep the fish cold on the way home. Use an insulated bag or a small cooler with ice packs. At home, store it on a plate or tray, loosely covered, on the lowest shelf so drips can’t hit other foods.

Keep Raw Fish Off Ready-To-Eat Foods

Use one cutting board for the fish and another for salad, bread, or garnishes. Wash hands with soap after touching the fish. Wash the knife and board with hot, soapy water before they touch anything else.

Dry The Surface For Better Searing

Pat the steak dry with paper towels. A dry surface browns faster, so you get a solid sear without needing extra time that overcooks the outer layer.

Choose A Cooking Method With Control

Pan-sear and oven-finish is a common route for thick swordfish. You sear to build color, then finish gently so the center warms without the outside turning tough. Grilling works too, yet flare-ups and hot spots can make the outside dry before the center catches up.

Let Carryover Heat Work For You

Swordfish steaks keep cooking after they leave the heat. Pulling the fish a few degrees early and resting it can land you closer to your target without overshooting.

If you’re chasing the 145°F safety target, pull it a little below 145°F and let the rest bring it up. If you’re chasing medium rare, be honest about the trade and keep the handling step-by-step clean.

Risk And Doneness Checklist For Medium-Rare Decisions

This table is a quick way to match your goal to the safest move you can take. It’s broad on purpose, since the “right” choice changes with the diner and the fish.

Situation	Safer Choice	Why This Helps
Pregnant or breastfeeding	Avoid swordfish; choose lower-mercury fish cooked through	Mercury exposure stays high even when cooked; full cooking cuts germ risk
Serving kids	Skip medium rare; cook to 145°F	Less tolerance for foodborne illness; safety margin matters
Immune system weakened	Cook to 145°F and avoid cross-contact	Heat knocks down common pathogens; clean prep lowers exposure
Fish smells “fishy,” sour, or ammonia-like	Don’t eat it	Odor can signal spoilage; cooking can’t fix bad storage
Fish sat warm for a while	Skip medium rare; cook fully or discard	Warm time can let bacteria multiply fast
Trusted supplier, good cold chain, cooking same day	Medium rare is a personal choice, with tighter kitchen hygiene	Lower handling risk than unknown sourcing; still not zero risk
Thick steak (1.5 inches or more)	Sear + gentle finish; use a thermometer	Even heating is harder; probe reading prevents a raw center
Restaurant service	Ask how they handle fish; choose fully cooked if unsure	Kitchen standards vary; your only control is what you order
You want “steak-like” bite without pink center	Cook to 145°F, then slice across the grain	Proper slicing keeps it tender even when fully cooked

How To Cook Swordfish So It Stays Tender At 145°F

Some people push medium rare because they’ve had dry swordfish once and they don’t want a repeat. You can cook to the 145°F target and still keep a good bite with a few habits.

Brine Lightly

A short salt brine helps swordfish hold moisture. Mix cold water with salt, soak the steak for 15–30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. It seasons the fish deeper than surface salting alone.

Use Moderate Heat After The Sear

Hard sear first, then back off the heat. When the pan is screaming hot the whole time, the outside tightens fast and squeezes out moisture.

Stop Cooking By Temperature, Not By Color

Swordfish can look “done” on the outside while the center stays under your target. Probe the thickest part from the side, not the top, so you hit the center.

Sauce The Plate, Not The Fish

If you love bright sauces, put them on the plate and drag slices through them. Pouring acidic sauce on top during cooking can toughen the surface.

Medium Rare In Restaurants: What To Ask Without Feeling Awkward

Restaurants serve fish below 145°F all the time. Sometimes it’s fine. Sometimes the kitchen is sloppy. Your job is to get clues fast.

• Ask if it’s served “medium rare” by default. Some places cook swordfish through unless requested.
• Ask if they can cook it to 145°F. A good kitchen can do that without drama.
• Ask if the fish is cut fresh that day. You’re listening for clear answers, not a shrug.

If the answers feel vague, order it fully cooked or switch to a lower-mercury fish that’s cooked through.

Doneness Targets And What They Look Like On The Plate

This table gives you a simple map from temperature to texture cues. Use it with a thermometer. Visual cues can mislead on thick steaks.

Doneness Style	Center Temp	Texture And Look
Rare	115–124°F (46–51°C)	Deeply translucent center; soft, sashimi-like bite
Medium rare	125–135°F (52–57°C)	Pink, glossy center; tender, juicy slices
Medium	136–144°F (58–62°C)	Faint blush; firmer bite, still moist if handled well
Fully cooked (public guidance target)	145°F (63°C)	Opaque through the center; flakes with pressure; steak-like firmness
Overcooked	150°F+ (66°C+)	Dryer, tighter texture; edges can feel stringy

Smart Serving Rules Once The Fish Is Cooked

Cooking is one part of safety. What you do after matters too.

Serve It Right Away

Fish cools fast. Warm fish sitting out for a long stretch gives bacteria a chance to grow. Slice and serve, then get leftovers into the fridge soon after the meal.

Chill Leftovers Fast

Put leftovers in a shallow container so they cool quickly. Reheat until steaming hot. If you cooked the fish medium rare the first time, reheating fully changes the texture anyway, so plan leftovers for salad or fish cakes where texture isn’t the whole point.

So, Should You Do It?

If you’re healthy, you trust your source, you keep the fish cold, and your kitchen habits are clean, eating swordfish medium rare can be a personal choice. It’s still a choice with less safety cushion than cooking to 145°F.

If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, serving kids, or you’ve got health issues that make infections hit harder, skip undercooked swordfish. Also keep mercury in mind: doneness won’t change it, so portion and frequency matter as much as temperature.

If you want the best of both worlds, cook to the 145°F target and use the tenderness tricks: light brine, controlled heat, thermometer checks, and smart slicing. You’ll get a satisfying bite without gambling on the center.