Beef Tartare is Now Beef Char-tare

Beef tartare at home may seem a little intimidating at first, something better left to the chefs at Husk, Pinewood Social, Rolf and Daughters, 5^th & Taylor and Kayne Prime, where beautifully chopped raw beef is the canvas for all kinds of riffs on the classic. This Old World dish is actually an easy make-ahead appetizer. Our beef char-tare tweaks the standard approach with the simple addition of a little charred umami and texture to take advantage of the beautiful October grilling weather.

Making beef tartare is all about a good knife and top quality beef. There’s no falling back on the food processor or you’ll end up with a pasty mess. The meat must be hand chopped into distinct bits, allowing it to fully mingle with the seasonings, delicately enhancing — but not covering — the flavor of the beef.

Beef char-tare makes a lovely first course to enjoy on the patio with ice-cold martinis. Serve on a platter or individual plates with toast points. We’ve swapped the traditional raw egg with a hard-cooked egg garnish, which will put everyone at ease about consuming raw egg.

Beef Char-Tare

cheaters This Old World dish is actually an easy make-ahead appetizer. Our beef char-tare tweaks the standard approach with the simple addition of a little charred umami and texture to take advantage of the beautiful October grilling weather. Recipes beef tartare European Print This

Serves: 2 to 4

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 pound filet mignon, trimmed (two 8-ounce steaks)
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 generous tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small anchovy, minced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon shallot or red onion, finely minced
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Olive oil
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Hot pepper sauce, to taste
• Fresh watercress or baby greens
• Minced red onion
• Capers
• Hard-cooked egg, chopped
• Radishes
• Toast points

Instructions

Preheat the grill to high. Coat the chilled steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until charred all over, about 2 minutes per side. Using tongs, stand the filets on their sides to help sear the edges. The beef will still be raw inside. Cool, wrap and refrigerate the steaks until well chilled. Chop the chilled meat with a heavy sharp knife and place in a large bowl. Gently stir in the parsley, mustard, anchovy, shallot or onion, Worcestershire sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce and capers to taste. Cover and chill until serving time. Mound on a bed of watercress or baby greens on a platter (or four individual plates). Garnish with additional red onion, capers, black pepper, hard-cooked egg, radish, a drizzle of olive oil and toast points. Serves 4.