How to Make Classic Steak Tartare
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Here's how to make classic steak tartare at home. And here's what you drink with it.
by Erin Henderson
Years ago, when I was the sommelier at a private club in Toronto, I worked with a terrific Chef, who became a very dear friend.
Originally from England, Chef Andrew Prentice spent nearly 50 years in the industry. Classically trained, naturally, his resume included London's swish Savoy Hotel and cooking for royalty (he had hand-written letters of thanks from the Royal Family framed in his office.)
Andrew taught me how to make a proper Pimm's Cup, fry a French fry, and, assemble addictive steak tartare. All the important things in life.
The nice thing about it (most of the time), is that steak tartare is so highly personal that, other than the beef, you can add, remove, or adjust all other ingredients as you see fit.
I'm a big fan of briny capers, crunchy cornichon, and loads of Worcestershire sauce. Anchovies... meh, not so much. I realize, with the food world's current obsession of the little hairy fish, this is not the hippest thing to admit, but I is, who I is, so anchovies never make it into my version. Andrew, the hipster he is at heart, loves anchovies and eats them whole, straight from the tin. So in respect, I've nobly left them in this recipe because, sigh, so many people side with Andrew.
Below is the recipe, which really is more of an assemblage. If you've never made tartare before, feel free to follow the steps exactly as written – rest assured you will get spectacular results with this combination of flavours. But I've long said recipes should be more a guidline and less a Bible, so follow your own inspiration.
Classic Steak Tartare
Serves: 4 people as a meal, 8-10 as a snack
Chef level: Moderate
Ingredients:
- 4 anchovies, minced
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 oz. cognac, optional (but highly encouraged)
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Tabasco sauce, to taste
- 16 oz tenderloin, minced with a sharp knife
- 3 Tbsp cornichon, diced
- 2 Tbsp capers, roughly chopped if large
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp shallot, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley and/or chives, optional
- S&P to taste
- 4 large egg yolks, left intact for topping, optional (but highly encouraged)
Directions:
- In a large bowl, lightly mix lightly mix anchovies through Tabasco.
- In a separate bowl, gently combine, but do not overwork, the tenderloin through S&P.
- Pour anchovy mixture into the beef mixture and stir gently to combine.
- Shape into four patties and carefully top with whole yolks. Serve alongside frites for a true bistro experience, or, for a healthier, but far less fun, option a tossed green salad.
Wine Pairing:
The classic Beaujolais, made from the Gamay grape, is the way to go here.
A juicy and joyous sipper from one of the Crus, a top tier of Beaujolais, it absolutely sings with the tartare. Gamay is low in tannin, so does not bulldoze the lean beef, but higher in acidity so it wiped up the richness from the egg yolk and olive oil. Beauj also has loads of juicy red and black cherry fruit with subtle black pepper spice to compliment the earthy, tangy flavours of the tartare. This pairing is a classic for a reason, so why reinvent the wheel?