'Well Done', Raw Steak
Iconic Steak Tartare
I got roasted for putting out a Father’s Day menu that wasn’t beef-centric 😂
Dropping this post on Steak Tartare as you could easily add this to your spread and get some beefy-goodness without breaking a sweat this weekend 🙌
Most people tense-up or cringe when the subject of raw meat is brought up.
In the 🇺🇸 , agencies like the USDA have done a great job of normalizing overcooked, chalky, pasty proteins in the name of ‘safety’ and even the mention of raw protein will have people reaching for the clorox to spray any surface within 100 feet.
The reality is that common sense will keep you safe (outside of a large scale food contamination event, that you have no control over anyway) and people have been eating raw proteins and meats since the dawn of time.
I’m not into fad diets at all but Keto and Carnivore diets are all over social media and currently en vogue. I’ve had numerous followers and frens reach out in the past few months and tartare came up. because it is legitimately delicious (unlike most other diet foods).
Steak tartare is a classic dish in the French cuisine that made its way all over the globe via Continental style restaurants, and in the US, reaching iconic status at the famous 21 Club in NYC.
*It’s likely Ghenghis Khan and the Mongols are first recorded people to be eating a tartare-like preparation. First recorded steak tartare recipe was in August Escoffier’s 1921 cookbbok.
Traditionally beef steak or horse meat was used and nowadays you can find variations using lamb, venison, seafood and more.
What Makes a Top-Tier Tartare?
There are a few details that will be the difference between iconic-memorable steak tartare… and a disappointing, gross and forgettable dish.
Luckily these are easy to avoid and at the end I’m dropping my adapted version of the iconic Club 21 steak tartare recipe.
Quality & Cut
Quality of beef is going to be important. This is not the time to cheap out and look for the close-out deal on Walmart USDA Select.
Choice at minimum and Prime best case scenario will ensure you start from a position of superior flavor.
Wagyu is not necessary and depending on the cut, it would have way too much fat than what is ideal for steak tartare.
Note: I’m not a fan of 100% grass fed beef. You can use, but be aware the flavor of final product will be vastly different than the iconic original.
Speaking of cuts
Filet is traditional. This is the prized tender cut on the cow and makes steak tartare much easier from a tenderness perspective. It may be cost prohibitive though, and doesn’t pack as much ‘beefy’ flavor as other cuts.
The Spinalis, which is the cap of the ribeye is the unicorn cut for me on the cow. It’s basically as tender as the filet but packs all the beefiness of a ribeye. Alas, as chefs have made this cut popular the cost has sky-rocketed. This would be my pick if cost is no concern.
Budget cuts I would look to sirloin steaks. These are pretty tender and also have a good beefy flavor. Look for sirloins that don’t have big thick streaks of fat; if they do you can just remove before chopping the tartare.
A finely marbled short rib would also work as well.
Cuts to avoid:
Rump cuts are lean but have a prominent ‘irony’ flavor that is not ideal and are not very tender.
Flank/Skirt have a density that is too toothsome IMO
Ribeye/Chuck tend to be too marbled with thick streaks of fat that are hard to remove and will get stuck in your teeth; great for steaks and pot roast, not so great for raw.
Texture
I would argue that the most important factor of a steak tartare is how the meat is cut. Even more important than seasoning.
This is a big deal.
You can adjust seasoning at the end but if you mess up the cut on the steak it’s just not optimal.
Too thick and you’re chewing large chunks of beef for a while ⬇️ 😑
Too fine and you’re spooning beef with the texture of tinned cat food ⬇️ 😑
Best case, you want 1/4inch cubes
Here are (2) really solid examples. The beef remains distinct but becomes integrated with the seasonings and ingredient mix.
Getting the Beef Right
Do’s & Don’ts
-Never, never, never use pre-ground beef from the supermarket.
-Cutting with a sharp knife is > 99.9% of the times. Requires a sharp knife. (You know how much I harp on sharp knives by now)
-Using a meat grinder is an option but you would want to use a coarse plate, not fine; The texture won’t be as ideal as knife cut but can still be very good.
Chopping Steak for Tartare
You can ask your butcher to use a commercial meat slicer to cut your steaks for tartare into 1/4 in thick sheets.
This is really a nice hack.
Keep in the fridge until ready, then pop in the freezer for ~15 mins before chopping to firm up the beef; then simply cut the sheets of steak into 1/4inch cubes with a razor sharp knife.
Temperature
Tartare is best made just before serving and must be kept cold… cold… and did I mention, cold?
When chopping your tartare have a bowl set over an ice bath to put the tiny meat pieces in while you work.
Other Essentials
Since the classical recipe you’ll see many riffs and variations now.
When using good quality steak you don’t want to add a crap ton of garnish and ingredients which just drown out the star of the show; the steak. 🥩 Less is generally more with seasonings and garnish quantities.
The raw egg yolk perched on top is nice tableside theater to break open and mix into the steak cubes; enriching the dish.
Usually steak tartare is served with toasted baguette as a vehicle for you to heap spoonfuls of tartare. (You can use pork rinds if going no-carb; masa chips are too sweet IMO)
Mustard and cornichon (or other pickles) are very common also.
Without further ado, Steak Tartare in the style of 21 Club
INGREDIENTS
For Sauce:
1/2 TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/2 TB minced capers
1/2 TB minced shallot
1/2 TB chopped Cornichon
2 TB thinly sliced chive
1 TB grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1-2 TB EVOO
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
Steak:
8oz beef, chilled and cut into 1/4in cubes with a razor sharp knife (see above for recommended beef cuts to use)
To finish:
1/2 tsp maldon sea salt
1 large egg yolk
METHOD
Before chopping your steak- Slice, grate and measure all the sauce ingredients and combine into a small mixing bowl
Chop the beef as described above and place into a chilled mixing bowl set over an ice bath.
Fold sauce mixture gently into the diced cold beef
Using a ring mold (or free hand) spoon the tartare into a 2in tall disc onto a chilled serving plate
Top the tartare with the raw egg yolk; you can make a small divot in the center of the tartare before transferring to ensure the yolk doesn’t fall off
Finish with a sprinkle of maldon sea salt on the egg yolk
Arrange additional cornichon, mustard and toasted bread around the tartare.
When ready to eat, pierce the yolk with a knife or fork and mix into the tartare, pile a heaping spoonful on your toasted bread and crush away 🙌
Voilà 🙌 you are now feasting on Steak Tartare in the style of 21 Club, just like Ernest Hemingway would back in the day.
Hey octopod, unrelated however I was wondering if you had any tips for scrambling eggs in a carbon steel pan? Can it be done well? Limited with cookware and would appreciate some help from an actual chef.