Steak Tartare Anyone?

The mere mention of the words “steak tartare” frequently conjures up that hilarious episode of Mr. Bean (U.K.) where he unwittingly orders this popular raw meat dish only to spend the rest of his dinner trying to dispose of it in most amusing fashion. If you haven’t seen this episode and appreciate British humor, I recommend this short clip for a good laugh.

Eating steak tartare needn’t be such a tortuous experience. In fact, this dish is quite delicious and so easy to digest that even those with extremely compromised digestion usually find it a welcome balm on the stomach. Indeed, the French aren’t fools. For centuries, steak tartare has been a traditional French remedy for weak constitutions. During the Franco-Prussian War when beef ran short, the French even turned to making their steak tartare with horsemeat!

Worried about parasites in your meat? This problem is easily solved by freezing the meat for 14 days. The US Department of Agriculture reports that this practices kills off all parasites. Of course, use only the highest quality grassbased meats when preparing a gourmet dish such as steak tartare.

A good way to ease your family into an appreciation for raw animal protein is to make a bit of steak tartare with a little of the grassfed ground beef you are using to make meatloaf one night for dinner. This way, you won’t use an entire pound or two of expensive, grassfed ground beef for a dish your family might not eat much of. You can make the steak tartare as an appetizer for the meatloaf meal rather than as a main course. Entice them with a really yummy homemade dessert if they give it a go and take a couple of bites!

Here is the recipe I use as it is so very simple and is really delicious on whole grain crackers:

Steak Tartare Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lb grassfed ground beef
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp teriyaki sauce
1/2 tsp brandy
1/2 -1 well beaten egg (wash egg shell in warm, soapy water before cracking)
pinch of cayenne pepper
sea salt to taste
ground green peppercorns to taste

Instructions

Mix everything together well and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour to allow the flavors to mix. Serve on whole grain crackers. Use within 3 days.
I am submitting this post to Kelly the Kitchen Kop’s Real Food Wednesday Blog Carnival!  Be sure to click over for so many fantastic Real Food recipes.

Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist

Sarah

The Healthy Home Economist holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Mother to 3 healthy children, blogger, and best-selling author, she writes about the practical application of Traditional Diet and evidence-based wellness within the modern household. Her work has been featured by USA Today, The New York Times, ABC, NBC, and many others.