Best French Steak Tartare Recipe (Easy Minced Beef Tartare) (2024)

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Steak Tartare is meaty, delicious, and full of flavor. Considered a French delicacy, this minced beef tartare is highly revered by foodies and steak connoisseurs who like their steak raw.

Best French Steak Tartare Recipe (Easy Minced Beef Tartare) (1)

If you’re a self-described carnivore and love the flavors of fresh, well-seasoned beef, chances are, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this dish. While many are skeptical about preparing raw meat at home, with the right ingredients and technique, you can safely serve your very own steak tartare.

What is Steak Tartare?

Steak tartare is a meat dish found in many European cuisines. The French version – tartare aller-retour – is the most renowned and is considered a delicacy. Here in the United States, tartare dish is served at high-end restaurants for meat lovers with a discerning palate.

Often served as an appetizer, steak tartare is made using high-quality, finely chopped raw steak fillet, delicately seasoned and topped with a poached or raw egg. This dish balances flavors of salty and sour and the beef is tender and gamey.

Is Steak Tartare Safe to Eat?

Raw meat is found in many cuisines, including raw fish being consumed by Japanese and Scandinavian people. As with all raw meat, quality and method of preparation play a significant role in the taste and safety of the meal. If prepared properly, beef tartare is completely safe to eat, though not recommended for pregnant women, children or people with compromised immune systems.

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Ingredients for Steak Tartare

  • Steak Fillet: You’ll be using fresh, lean beef steak. Filet mignon and sirloin are excellent options. Get your steak from a reputable butcher and let them know you’ll be eating it raw to ensure you get the best quality. Do not use ground beef.
  • Olive Oil: It’s loaded with healthy fats and a subtle flavor. We recommend using extra-virgin olive oil for your steak tartare.
  • Pickled Cucumbers: Also simply known as pickles, pickled cucumbers can be made at home or purchased in a store.
  • Capers: With their salty, citrusy taste, capers add incredible flavor to this meaty dish.
  • Shallot: Shallots offer a sharp, slightly sweet flavor to exquisitely season your steak. You may substitute with white or yellow onions.
  • Chives: With their mild oniony taste, fresh chives are subtle, yet noticeable. Substitute with scallions if chives are unavailable.
  • Parsley: You’ll be using fresh parsley to season your beef and as a garnish.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: This classic sauce adds a burst of umami to the beef. Substitute with a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce.
  • Ketchup: This simple condiment can be substituted with tomato paste or tomato sauce. For a spicier beef tartare, try using sriracha.
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Egg Yolk

How to Make Steak Tartare

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  • Trim off fat and rinse the steak thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels.
  • Sprinkle salt onto the steak generously. Place it on a plate and cover with plastic wraps. Let it sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours, and then rinse the steak again. Pat dry completely with paper towels.
  • Place the steak on a clean cutting board, and mince the steak finely with a sharp knife.
  • Mix the minced steak and olive oil.
  • Add finley chopped pickled cucumbers, capers, shallot, chives, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Taste test and adjust the seasoning if needed.
  • Place a food ring mold (you can make one at home with a plastic bottle) on a plate.
  • Add the steak mixture into the mold. Gently pressing down to make sure there are no gaps.
  • Create a small well in the center of the steak mixture. Slide in the egg yolk carefully.
  • Lift and remove the mold gently. Garnish with more parsley and serve immediately.
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Tips & Tricks

  • Make sure to source the freshest, highest-quality beef, ideally from a butcher.
  • To save time, you can prepare your herbs and seasonings ahead of time, but do not combine them with the meat until you’re ready to eat.
  • Though traditionally served with a raw egg, you can lightly poach your egg if you prefer.

What Kind of Meat is Used for Steak Tartare?

To make restaurant-quality steak tartare, you’ve got to start with the right ingredients. Since you’ll be eating it raw, it’s very important to get the right cut of beef. Tenderloin cuts such as filet mignon are your best options. You can also use top sirloin steak.

What to Serve with Steak Tartare?

As an appetizer, steak tartare is often served with a freshly toasted baguette or with French fries. This meaty dish can also serve as the protein in a fresh salad, or can be served alongside steamed vegetables.

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Best French Steak Tartare Recipe (Easy Minced Beef Tartare) (5)

Steak Tartare Recipe

Steak Tartare is meaty, delicious, and full of flavor. Considered a French delicacy, this minced beef tartare is highly revered by foodies and steak connoisseurs who like their steak raw.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Author: Izzy

Ingredients

  • 8 oz steak fillet (It’s best to use fresh and lean beef steak. I used sirloin in this recipe)
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped pickled cucumbers
  • 2 tablespoon chopped capers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallot
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley plus more for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 egg yolk

Instructions

  • Trim off any large pieces of fat. Rinse the steak thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels.

  • Sprinkle salt onto the steak generously. Place it on a plate and cover with plastic wraps. Let it sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours, and then rinse the steak again. Pat dry completely with paper towels.

  • Place the steak on a clean cutting board, and mince the steak finely with a sharp knife.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, add minced steak and olive oil. Mix to combine.

  • Add pickled cucumbers, capers, shallot, chives, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.

  • Taste test and adjust the seasoning if needed.

  • Place a food ring mold (you can make one at home with a plastic bottle) on a plate.

  • Add the steak mixture into the mold. Gently pressing down to make sure there are no gaps. (You can also use a ramekin to shape your tartare. You’ll need to fill it with the steak mixture. Then reverse it into the serving plate.)

  • Create a small well in the center of the steak mixture. Slide in the egg yolk carefully.

  • Lift and remove the mold gently. Garnish with more parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Make sure to buy high-quality lean steak. It’s best to buy it at your local butchers and let them know you’re going to eat it raw.
  • It’s best to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator before making your tartare. DON’T mix your steak with the other ingredients until just before serving.
  • Remember to press everything gently into the mold so that there are no gaps in your tartare.
    • You can poach your egg yolk if you prefer.

Author: Izzy

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Steak Tartare

Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking

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About Izzy

I'm Izzy, a food lover and photographer. Here you’ll find a collection of simple recipes that are perfect for busy people. My blog aims to help you make and enjoy delicious and healthy food at home.

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Best French Steak Tartare Recipe (Easy Minced Beef Tartare) (2024)

FAQs

Can you use mince for steak tartare? ›

Introduction. There's honestly not much to making steak tartare. A good-quality fillet of beef, minced or chopped, with some condiments: c'est tout! Some bistros serve their tartares already seasoned and with the condiments mixed into the meat.

Can you use ground beef for beef tartare? ›

Mix together the ground beef, cheese, jalapeños, onion, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill for 1 hour. Serve cold with saltines.

What is the difference between steak tartare and ground beef? ›

Beef tartare should be made with beef from one steak that is chopped just before being served. That doesn't make it completely safe to eat from a food safety standpoint but it's a sight better than raw ground beef. Ground beef is made in bulk from the meat from many animals, primal cuts as well as trim.

What type of beef is best for tartare? ›

Tenderloin-This is by far your best cut of beef for tartar as it the most tender cut of beef and contains just the right amount of fat for flavor. This is the cut of beef that is used for filet mignon.

Can you raw minced beef? ›

Yes, it is dangerous to eat raw or undercooked ground beef because it can contain harmful bacteria. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends not eating or tasting raw or undercooked ground beef. To be sure all bacteria are destroyed, cook meat loaf, meatballs, casseroles, and hamburgers to 160 °F.

What is the parasite in steak tartare? ›

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a cellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. The cat is the primary host in the parasitic life cycle, and the illness is spread by contact with infected cat feces or ingestion of raw infected meat (such as 'steak tartare') or water.

Is tartare minced meat? ›

Steak tartare or tartar steak is a French dish of raw ground (minced) beef.

Can you use supermarket beef for tartare? ›

Yes, you can use supermarket beef for tartare as long as you are shopping at high-quality, high-end grocers or butchers that meet the qualifications recommended for eating raw or undercooked meat. The store should be clean and fresh, without odors. The meat should be bright red, odorless, and of the highest quality.

What is the difference between beef carpaccio and tartare? ›

One of the biggest differences between carpaccio and tartare is that carpaccio is made from thinly sliced beef tenderloin, while tartare is made from meat that has been pounded, minced, or chopped. The two dishes are also served with different accompaniments and flavourings.

What is the difference between Italian and French beef tartare? ›

Italian tartare's dressing is barebones compared to France's. They merely drizzle the minced raw meat with extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, and often a little garlic. The dressing is mixed into the meat and it is also usually formed into rounds like the French version.

Is steak tartare chopped or ground? ›

It is correctly made by finely chopping filet mignon. A good sharp knife is good. The garnish is a raw egg yolk, capers, minced raw onions.

Is steak tartare always ground? ›

A tartare is made from raw meat or fish chopped finely or ground with jazzy ingredients and seasonings and served in a flattened mound on a plate with garnishes usually.

How do you buy meat for beef tartare? ›

Choose a cut that has a little fat for flavor but is still lean. Fresher meat will also be a good choice, as aged meat tends to become more tough. And never use ground beef for this dish, as ground beef has a higher chance of contamination if not cooked.

How do you make beef tartare safe? ›

Wear gloves when handling the raw beef. Use high-quality, fresh beef. Ask the butcher which available steak would be best raw. Keep the beef cold.

Is beef tartare worth it? ›

As you start to digest that steak tartare, you won't only get a delicious snack, but you can also get a great serving of vitamin B as well. There have even been some studies that have linked the vitamin B in raw beef to better reproductive health.

Can you use any meat for steak tartare? ›

Tartare calls for the best-quality meat; you'll eat it raw, so go for the good stuff — rib eye or flatiron is a nice way to go. To get a perfectly diced steak for tartare, freeze the beef until it is just firm, about 15 minutes, before slicing.

Is beef tartare mince? ›

Today, classic steak tartare is made by mincing high-quality beef, such as sirloin or tenderloin, that has been trimmed of fat and sinew. To beaten egg yolks are added ingredients such as Dijon mustard and chopped anchovies.

Can you use grocery store beef for steak tartare? ›

In terms of age/freshness, if you can buy a steak in the grocery store, it's fit for tartare. I never use ground meat for this purpose because that takes all the little bacteria on the surface and redistributes them throughout the meat so they can grow with impunity. So get a whole steak.

What is raw meat for steak tartare? ›

For taste and food safety, it is essential to use only the highest quality and freshest raw beef, from a reputable butcher. Tenderloin and rib steak are the best choices. Never use previously ground meat.

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