Beef Tartar or Tartar Steak – Raw Beef Dish

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Beef tartare or tartar steak originated in France but has become very popular in Germany. This dish is usually served with onions, capers, pickles,  Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings. There are two versions on how you can enjoy it if you love to eat raw meat. Many restaurants or pubs are serving this dish in Germany. Not sure if you can get it in the USA. If you use pickles use unsweetened cornichons. Happy Cooking!

Ingredients Beef Tartar

(2 Servings)
300 g beef filet (the best you can get)
recommended is beef tenderloin, top sirloin from a trusted butcher
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
tabasco sauce, optional, to taste
salt, pepper top taste
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1-2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cornichons, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers
3-4 anchovies
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
paprika powder to taste

Cooking Instructions Beef Tartar

There are two version on how to serve this raw beef dish.

1. All ingredients will be mixed and the meat will be served on a roll or with Pumpernickel bread.
– Use a cold bowl to mix first the egg yolks with mustard, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco,  paprika powder, salt and pepper.
– Chop fine: shallots, capers, cornichons, parsley, anchovies. Combine with eggs. Mix well.
– Add the meat and olive oil, mix well.
– Form a patty and place on a plate. Garnish with parsley.

There’s another that version is called “Hackepeterbrötchen” or “Mettbrötchen”. It is chopped or ground pork or Thüringer Mett that is mixed with onions, salt, and pepper and spread on a buttered roll.

2. The meat will be only seasoned with salt, pepper, and tabasco, and olive oil if you use it. The egg yolk will be centered on top of the meat patty, you would make a little mold so the egg yolk will not fall down. All other ingredients will be placed around the patty, see the main photo.

Important Steps
For both versions you need to cut the meat in very fine cubes with a sharp knife, you would not grind it.
Keep everything chilled as you go, including the mixing bowl and plates.

How to cut the Meat
Use fridge-cold meat that needs to be cut as precisely and neatly as possible.
Freeze the meat briefly, which makes it way easier to handle.
Use a very sharp knife to cut it into 1/4 inch slices.
Stack a few slices and use long strokes to cut crosswise into 1/4″ strips.
Cut strips crosswise to make 1/4″ dice.
The best is to use a silicon mat which can be placed into the dish washer.

Important Info
Be sure to use fresh high-quality beef and serve this dish immediately. Do not make it ahead. It is advised that pregnant women should not eat raw meat. Learn more about food safety from foodsafety.gov. 

Served with Pumpernickel, French Fries, rolls or baguette.

Video is in German, this chef is using extra ingredients like garlic, ketchup, arugula and tomatoes which you can of course add if you like.  Important is to see how he chops the meat. If you use ground beef the meat will not taste the same. It’s very informative.

photocredit