Have you ever tried this dish at a restaurant or at a dinner party? Steak tartare is made from raw beef, ground or chopped finely with raw egg yolks, Dijon mustard, capers, red onions, parsley and olive oil. This dish is prepared and eaten in many countries and cultures around the world. It is very important to start with high quality meats not only for taste, but to also minimize the chance of contamination from harmful bacteria. Each region will have a different twist to the recipe and there are several recipe variations. You may also want to check out sites such as Allrecipes.com for different tartare recipe ideas.
The Legend
Steak tartare is named after the Tatars, more commonly known today as the Mongols or Huns. Allegedly, warriors would place steak under their saddles at the beginning of the day. By the end of the day, it would be tenderized and ready to eat. There is no evidence for this legend; historically, Mongols boiled their beef, and Huns grilled or boiled theirs.
Disclaimer
Eating raw meat has been discouraged by the USDA because it could contain harmful bacteria. The USDA recommends cooking meat to a temperature of 160 °F. The USDA also discourages eating raw eggs, as they are a prime source of salmonella.
Knife Chopped Steak Tartare - Italian Recipe
![Italian recipe: Knife chopped steak tartare [HQ]](http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/yuNC2X4EX-w/hqdefault.jpg)
This video is narrated by a chef at an Italian restaurant in Italy and she demonstrates how to prepare a steak tartare where the meat has been knife chopped. She stresses that it is very important to have high quality meat. She demonstrates how to prepare this dish with seasonings and extra ingredients.
References
Fast Facts
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Also called
Filet americain
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Fact:
Can also be made with horse meat
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Sometimes served with tartar sauce
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Using anchovies is optional
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Sometimes meat is seared before preparing
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Fact:
Eating raw meat has been discouraged by the USDA because it may contain harmful bacteria.
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Fact:
It is important to use high quality meats for the best taste and to minimize chances of contamination.
