Beef Tartare: A Classic Dish with Modern Appeal
Beef Tartare is a timeless dish that showcases the purity and quality of raw ingredients. Traditionally made from finely chopped or minced raw beef, this recipe dates back to the early 20th century, with its roots in French cuisine. Over the years, Beef Tartare has evolved from a fine dining delicacy to a beloved dish that can be recreated in home kitchens. With the right technique, it’s easier than you might think to prepare this dish under the guidance of a chef-led recipe.
A Brief History of Beef Tartare
The origins of Beef Tartare are often linked to the Mongolian warriors of the 13th century. Legend has it that they would tenderise meat under their saddles while riding. While the historical accuracy of this story is debatable, it’s clear that raw meat preparations have been part of many cultures. The modern version of Beef Tartare, however, is more closely associated with French cuisine and became popular in Parisian restaurants in the early 1900s.
The dish was traditionally served with a raw egg yolk on top, but today there are many variations that include different seasonings, sauces, and accompaniments like capers, onions, mustard, and herbs. Regardless of the variation, the key to a perfect Beef Tartare lies in the quality of the beef and precise seasoning to enhance its natural flavours.
The Appeal of Preparing Beef Tartare at Home
While Beef Tartare may seem like a dish reserved for upscale restaurants, it’s surprisingly simple to make at home with the guidance of an expert chef-led recipe. The process involves selecting the highest quality beef, typically tenderloin or sirloin, and using sharp knives to finely chop it to the perfect texture. Seasoning is done delicately, with attention to balancing the flavours of the raw meat with the tang of capers, mustard, and the richness of egg yolk.
Chef-led recipes often emphasise the importance of freshness and careful handling when preparing raw dishes like Beef Tartare, making it a satisfying and impressive meal for home cooks to master.
Why Beef Tartare Stands Out
Beef Tartare is a standout recipe not only for its taste but also for its versatility. While the classic preparation remains popular, modern takes on the dish incorporate ingredients like truffle oil, sriracha, or even Asian-inspired flavours like soy sauce and ginger. The adaptability of Beef Tartare allows for creativity in the kitchen, making it a favorite for both novice and experienced cooks.
Beef Tartare is a sophisticated yet accessible dish that can be mastered at home with the right recipe and guidance. Whether you’re preparing a classic version or adding your own twist, this dish promises to impress with its elegance and bold flavours. With high-quality ingredients and careful preparation, home cooks can enjoy this restaurant-worthy dish in the comfort of their own kitchens. Follow our chef-led recipe to make the perfect Beef Tartare, and experience a culinary tradition that’s rich in history and flavour.
PrintBeef Tartare
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 200g beef fillet
- Tartare Dressing:
- 1/2 shallot; finely diced
- 3 Cornichons; finely diced
- 1 heap tbsp wholegrain mustard
- A splash of Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp good olive oil
- 1 tsp Fallow Sriracha (optional)
- Egg yolks
- Tarragon – picked
- Shoestring fries:
- One large potato
- Vegetable or sunflower oil for deep frying
- Sour Cream Seasoning
- Sea salt
- Sour cream seasoning:
- 20 g bunch of Chives
- 125g Skimmed milk powder
- 4g Black pepper ground
- 100g Onion powder
- 14g Citric acid
- 5g Fine sea salt
- 15g Caster Sugar
- Crispy Chilli Oil:
- 2 shallots
- 8 cloves garlic
- 4 red chilli’s
- 2 Star anise
- 1tsp MSG
- 100 ml rapeseed oil
Instructions
- Trim the beef fillet and wrap it carefully in cling film. place the beef fillet in the freezer for two hours (no longer!)
- Sour Cream Seasoning (optional): Dry the bunch of chives in a dehydrator overnight for 10 hours at in an oven 60 degrees. When completely dry, blitz in a blender or spice grinder blitz to a fine powder, then mix with the milk powder, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, MSG, black pepper and citric acid.
- Shoestring fries: get the heating oil in a deep pan. Peel the potatoes and slice them finely on a mandolin. Wash the slices in plenty of cold water. Drain in a colander then spread out on a clean tea towel to dry (this will prevent too much spattering from the oil when they are fried). Finely julienne the potato slices.
- Prepare a tray lined with kitchen paper and get a slotted spoon.
- When the oil is at 170 degree c and add a handful of julienned potato. You will need to do this in a few batches to avoid over crowding the pan and getting them stuck together.
- When lightly golden and crispy, remove them from the oil with the slotted spoon and drain on the prepared tray whilst you fry the rest of the chips. Cool and sprinkle liberally with the sour cream seasoning.
- Crispy Chilli Oil (optional): very finely slice the shallots and garlic. Put in a pan with the rapeseed oil and fry until golden and crispy. Pass off the oil through a sieve into another pan keeping the garlic and shallots aside.
- Place the sliced chillies into a heatproof bowl with the star anise and MSG. Reheat the reserved oil and pour in onto the sliced chilli mix and stir. Add back in the crispy shallots and garlic and set aside.
- Tartare Dressing: finely dice the shallot and cornichons, adding them to bowl with the whole grain mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, the olive oil and a dash of sriracha.
- Slice the frozen beef fillet into 1/2 cm cubes and toss in a bowl with 3-4 tbsp of the tartare dressing.
- Spoon a portion of the tartare onto a plate or bowl, top with an egg yolk seasoned with salt, some picked tarragon leaves, the crispy chilli and some on the shoestring fries.
