Steak Tartare

Steak Tartare is one of the delicacies many people love to order in restaurants and yet are terrified to create it at home. Raw meat in the hands of those who are timid is a fair safety concern. However, this post is going to teach you how to safely prepare this delicious dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Choosing your cut

You begin with a freshly cut tenderloin from your favourite local butcher. The butcher I frequent is Popowich in Edmonton Alberta. But you should definitely source out your local shop and get to know the team. They will gladly educate you on the best cuts for your culinary creations. Not to mention meeting people is fun and community relationships are important.

Curing the Egg

Second step is salt cure a quails egg. Salt is a natural preservative and bacteria killer. You only want this egg to soft cure, so place the yolk in salt for no more than 3 hours before serving. It’s tiny. Should you be using a regular chicken egg, cure it for 6 hours.

Adding the Chips

The potato chips that accompany this dish can be purchased or homemade. I prefer homemade myself but it’s not a rule. Just try to grab crisp Tortillas, or chips such as Miss Vicky’s. You want the crunch and structure to be in the chip.

A Salt Bath

A half hour before serving, sprinkle the tenderloin with salt and allow to sit in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for about 30 minutes. This will kill any trace amounts of external bacteria. Rinse underwater to remove the salt and dice into tiny pieces. You can also grind the meat via a medium grind blade in your home meat grinder. I prefer to cut the meat. It’s a texture thing for me. I like more structure and bite to the meat.

Seasoning

Prepare the sauce and add it a little bit at a time to the diced meat. Give it a good stir to combine and taste test. Keep adding until it reaches the seasoning you like. Use a cookie cutter or a burger press to mold the meat neatly on the plate. Top with the egg. Add your chips and voila. Homemade Tartare.

Steak Tartare

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 3 Hours

Ingredients

1. 16 oz trimmed Tenderloin Steak 
2. 1 Shallot minced 
3. 1/2 tsp of minced Chives
4. 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil (pepper Flavoured)
5. 2 tsp Sambal Oelek 
6. 2 Tbsp of Whole grain Dijon Mustard
7. 1 tbsp minced Capers
8. 1 Tbsp Sherry
9. Parsly 
10. 4 Quails Eggs
11. 1/4 cup of Kosher Salt 
12. Potato Chips / Tortilla Chips
13. Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. The first step is to cure your quails egg. To do this, you separate the yolk from the white gently. Open the shell using a small serrated knife. Gently cut the shell 1/3 from largest part of the shell. Just cut through the first side. Gently pry the shell open and dump the egg into a small bowl. Using your hands, let the egg yolk sit in your palm and let the white drip through you fingers. Place the yolk into a bowl lined with 2 tbsp of Kosher salt. Cover the yolks with another 2 tbsp of Kosher Salt. Cover with plastic wrap. Let them sit in the fridge for 3 hours. 
2. Take your fresh tenderloin out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to mixing and serving. Sprinkle generously with salt and return to the fridge. 
3. Meanwhile combine the Oil, mustard, sherry, shallots, parley, chives, Sambal, and capers. Mix well and set aside. 
4. Remove the meat from the fridge. Rinse under cold water to remove the salt film. Cut into tiny dice pieces. Add the the dressing and mix. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. 
5. Using a slider burger press, add 4 oz of the mixture to the press and form a tall patty shape on the serving plate.
6. Remove the quails egg from fridge. Rinse under cold water very gently to remove the salt. Place on top of each patty. 
7. Garnish with some caviar, micro greens, or chive flowers. 
8. Serve with homemade potato chips or tortilla chips. 
9. Enjoy!