Steak tartare is perhaps an acquired taste, but those who do acquire it experience a luxurious dish. Once a snack of warriors, steak tartare boasts a centuries-long history, with its name likely originating from the French word “tartare” for the Tatar people of Central Asia. Over time, tartare came to mean preparing chopped raw meat. Today, it is a staple for fine restaurants and dinner parties. The dish is juicy, rich, tender, and savory, but should also feature a supporting cast of herbaceousness, saltiness, and spice. It’s relatively easy to make steak tartare at home, especially with prep tips from a chef. You just have to know a few things about how to season it. To that end, we sought expert advice from chef K.C. Gulbro, owner of FoxFire in Geneva, Illinois, and Chef Ambassador for Certified Angus Beef.
“[Steak tartare] is a great canvas to work with, but stay true to the art of this dish,” Gulbro says. “Chopped shallots, capers, sea salt, egg, a touch of Dijon, and some crispy onions or leeks make it sing.” While there are all kinds of ingredients you can use to give your steak tartare a flavor boost, from hot sauce to kimchi, Gulbro’s list highlights the traditional approach. It promises a time-honored and chef-tested recipe for success. The egg binds the meat with buttery richness, the capers bring bright acidity, shallots and onions bring heat and crisp texture, Dijon brings spice, and salt amplifies the results.
Everything else to know for exceptional steak tartare
These harmoniously contrasting ingredients will indeed make your steak tartare sing, as K.C. Gulbro says. But don’t let your seasonings down by adding them to anything less than the best possible meat or by missing the opportunity to serve this dish up well. Getting familiar with the best cuts of meat for steak tartare is a crucial foundation, so we asked our expert about this too. “I like using filet mignon or beef tenderloin,” Gulbro reveals. “The lack of gristle in these cuts leads to less chewiness. These cuts also do well with just a little oil and salt.”
Filet mignon and beef tenderloin are great options to get that tender texture, which will come together with the egg and shine with the herbs, veggies, and spices. To enjoy the result of your efforts, there is something to be said for taking a cue from the classic seasonings and keeping it simple. Of course, you can always get creative and play with some unique ways to serve steak tartare. Add it to the top of a baked potato or fill some mini tacos, for example — Martha Stewart likes her steak tartare with potato chips. Whatever you do, just make sure the dish is the right temperature, which, according to Gulbro, is “Cold! It is raw meat, for one. The other reason is that it keeps the texture and flavor of the meat.”
