Steak Tartare

It's disgusting and a good way to get worms or food poisoning, no matter how immaculately prepared it is. Just munch on a cow instead.

It is delicious, OP.

Have fun with your parasites, OP.

I love it in small portions.

I feel great, no issues, probably because I went to a fine restaurant. I would guess it’s safer than rimming.

I eat raw oysters, steak tartare, and I feel great.

I used to get a 1/4 pound of ground sirloin or ground round at Jefferson Market, then eat it when I got home. I didn't bother with egg or herbs. Just the meat and some salt.

I'm with OP. It's delicious. So are oysters on the half shell.

That's some white people shit right there - just sayin

REPULSIVE to look at. I have never had it and will never have it.

I think it's just about one of the finest luxuries served in restaurants, especially if it's prepared table-side (very rare nowadays). Parisian restaurants still do it. I wouldn't be too snobby about flyover DLers, however--they know and appreciate all things beef and pork.

It's fine in moderation, but I will never have it again because of one experience. I was staying at a villa in Italy, and the cook made a huge mound of it for dinner. It was good, for a bit, but she kept on piling it on our plates insisting we hadn't had enough. I was disgusted with it after a while, and my stomach was beyond full. I felt so weighed down that night and had difficulty sleeping. Never again.

In the South they eat pig brain, so this looks like their kind of thing.

I'm touched by the ingenuousness with which Ms. OP struggles to connect his misplaced coastal elitism with eating raw beef.

Amen to r9. And btw, this flyover country vegan wants to remind you, much of that steak you’re eating comes from the heartland—though you’ll never have to smell their shit or swat their flies or hear the mothers lowing all night for their stolen calves, to become veal for your near-cannibalistic dietary practices.

I live steak tartare but every single time I eat it I get diarrhea. So I don't eat it anymore.

And r14, as well. And New Yorkers wonder why they’re so despised in the midwest.

[R15] If you hate living there so much, moooooooove.

R15 What does pigshit and veal have to do with Steak Tartare?

Follow up question: has anyone had Kibbeh? I’ve seen it in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cookbooks, but have never tried the raw variety.

[quote] has anyone had Kibbeh?

I, myself, have.

Just bulgar wheat plus other raw ingredients, yes?

With French fries: delicious.

I'm a West Coast elite and I think it's disgusting. Eating uncooked meat of any kind is stupid, period. This is basic common sense.

[quote]In the South they eat pig brain

And Mexicans eat menudo. The difference is, they COOK it. It may be gross, but it won't kill you or expose you to parasites or God knows what else. Even Neanderthals cooked their meat.

[R21] and [R22] like it? Love it? Gotta have it? Go to Coldstone instead?

[R24] What do you mean by “west coast elite”? Why is that important information?

R9 - that was the best - lol. Why anyone would prefer uncooked meat is beyond me - except to act sophisticated/ “continental”. Done it - it’s stupid. And dangerous.

OP, R 24 is merely pointing out that person on the west coast despises tartare and it's not just the " ignorant" backwards flyovers that arrogant assholes like you assume everyone who isn't an "elite coaster" to be. Even we backwards hicks know that the poster at R15 signed his name as he correctly assumed you would think he was, but you're too stupid to realize it. Have fun with your parasites.

Never tried it but I’d probably like it. I eat my steaks medium rare and love carpaccio.

My aunt Trudy in the Village served it to me "whilst" visiting NYC during my college years in 1975. She's now 90 and I reminded her of this fact recently that she is the only person to offer it up. She was astounded I remembered. I ate it willingly back then but now maybe have second thoughts?!

Why must everything be a contest?

R20. My ancestors are Syrian, and my mom cooked arabic food for most of my childhood. Kibbee was a staple, but, as I recall, it was mostly made from ground lamb, not beef. Kibbee Naya was the raw version, and you would eat it with pita bread and a slice of onion. I loved it, although, now that I'm a vegetarian, I am horrified that I ate it as often as I did.

The first time I had steak tartare was when I moved to London when I was in my late teens. It was listed on a restaurant menu as being prepared table side, and I thought it might be interesting, although I had no idea what it was. I did not know that it would be served raw. Given I ate Kibbee Naya so often, though, it really didn't bother me at the time, although I thought it wasn't as good as KN. I stopped eating meat and fish and all animal products shortly after that, and haven't had any for over 40 years now.

It's delicious, OP, as long as you eat it at a well-established, fine restaurant.

I love it, and it's making a major comeback, at least here in Europe -- every second restaurant seems to have begun offering it in the past 15 years or so.

I don't hear anything about people getting parasites or stomach bugs from it -- I've certainly never had any problems with it myself.

And I assume most of the posters shrieking "Ewww!" on this thread eat sushi (which is far more likely to give you a bug or a parasite). Or are you all a bunch of vegetarians?

[R28] I added the flyover part to add some spice to the thread. Everyone on here is obsessed with cities and class, and it kicks things up a notch. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.

I like mine cooked.

R34 Parasites, or specifically taeniasis, isn't a concern for the UK and Europe. They're extremely rare here and most of the time people get infected elsewhere then come home. They are more common in the US though where meat is less safe.

5 Things Canadian food safety experts will never eat and guess what's at the top of the list???

[quote]OP, R 24 is merely pointing out that person on the west coast despises tartare and it's not just the " ignorant" backwards flyovers that arrogant assholes like you assume everyone who isn't an "elite coaster" to be.

Yes, that's why I mentioned where I'm from. Weird that the OP needed the implications of his own words explained to him, but whatever.

[quote]And I assume most of the posters shrieking "Ewww!" on this thread eat sushi

I'm one of the "Ewww!" people, and no, I do not go anywhere near sushi. Raw seafood is stupidity on a plate. I don't need tapeworms in my life.

MMMmmmmmmm! Ecoli AND salmonella!

If it’s chopped table side I see no problem. You should be more concerned eating fast food.

When Adnan Khashoggi was staying in expensive hotels, he'd order steak tartar, inspect it and then send it back to be cooked into hamburgers.

OP/R35 - your rationalization is as hollow and as ridiculous as Trump's. If you had just left it alone, you wouldn't be exposed as a fool.

They prepare it table side at Sardi's on W44 just off Times Sq - the appetizer portion is enough for 2 or more people - it's tasty and a fun old school thing to get in a fun old school restaurant.

This flyover from south has never, nor will he eat pig brains. As far as steak tartare, no thanks. I’m already about one step away from being a vegetarian

I love it! I always love taking it raw—tartare, sashimi, oyster, sea urchin, cock.

I think I'd enjoy it more carpaccio style with some capers, etc. Plus something crunchy like toast.

[R47] I agree, the capers are a nice addition.

I also like raw beef bowl. It's great!

Redneck "Steak Tartare"

[R43] I don’t know why you’re getting so worked up, just chill and talk about steak tartare.

[R49] Is that served with ginger? That would be delicious...actually I wonder if there’s a steak tartare version with ginger and garlic?

My fav.

- Cheryl

Close yer legs, Cheryl.

I've had it, once, out of curiosity. But I could barely finish it. I don't mind steaks cooked rare, because the bacteria is on the outside of the steak. But rare burgers, no.

Also, a guy I was friends with years ago wouldn't eat beef - not for religious, cultural or ethical reasons, but because his sister died at an early age from contracting what's essentially the human version of mad cow disease.

Rare burgers have made a huge comeback. I don’t like the trend. That’s asking for trouble imho.

Sorry, R51.

Not to mention, if you're having this with someone on a date, and are looking to hook up afterwards - having a bathroom blowout a few hours later from food poisoning is not a good situation to be in.

Speak for yourself R58.

Would you knock it the eff off with this flyover shit!

Does it taste gamey?

This scene from the ‘80s horror film WAXWORK.

I prefer Mr. Bean's take

Does it taste gamey?

No. Even raw, beef is rich and fatty. A gamey taste is what we associate with the meat of wild animals like deer, or game birds. Although I do think steak tartare does have a sort of metallic taste.

R9, the Tartars are not white. They are an Asiatic-Turkic people.

I always like to hook up first, then do dinner. Why take chances?

Oui, je me régale de steak tartare.

Avec des frites, bien sûr.

I like mine rare.

I don't eat red meat. Enjoy mad cow disease!

There is no need for the raw egg yolk on top, it's already mixed in, in the French recipe. It's tasty in a SMALL portion, with Cabernet Franc.

I like it, but truly love carpaccio, I can really put that away, tartare is a nice small bite.

Y’know, OP really is the “elitist” here. I think I’ll moooove him to permanent ignore.

R72, do you post in the moo cow thread?

No, I would have sampled it when I was younger and more adventurous. But I've found I have less and less interest in eating any kind of flesh. I still do, but I can see there will be a point where that will end.

And, since I'm on DL, and based on the OP's original post, I'm a flyover, and I've learned to (usually) just skip over that. I try to participate and contribute, politely, and actually get plenty of WWs, but I stay in my lane, and stick to threads where I feel I belong. Anyone can talk about cooking, or gardening, or Old Hollywood, or British Royals. If you start a thread about Park Slope, I'll skip it, since I have nothing to contribute there. Every now and then, there will be a specific thread that interests me, even though I only read it. We had a nice thread a while back about Marble Hill, the only part of Manhattan that has lawns, since it's now on the other side of Harlem River. I enjoyed reading that, although I don't think I posted on that.

Not American so only have a vague idea of the "flyover" insult but recently met an early 50s friend of a friend from a small town in Illinois who has never eaten: sushi, avocado, curry. Not in any form. I admit that kind of blew my mind. Is that a common thing or is this guy just particularly unadventurous? Also hasn't eaten fish since childhood because he doesn't like it. Not one kind or preparation of fish, but all fish, all seafood.

R75 most Americans have never tasted lamb. Let that sink in. They’ll eat catfish but not lamb.

It'll help clean you out so you can bottom to your heart's delight.

I enjoy lamb chops extra rare.

[R78] Fig and Olive, here in L.A., have some great lamb chops. It’s served on gnocchi with sprigs of rosemary.

I prefer this version.

....

R75, 'Flyover' refers to the people in-between New York and Los Angeles/San Francisco who the elite fly over to get to their appointed designations. In other words, rubes, hicks, cretins. I guess simply saying that they're flying over us saves them from calling us the harsher insults.

Anyway, what you mention isn't rare at all. I know plenty of people who've never eaten any of those things. I know very well my ex-BF has never had sushi or avocado. He ordered curry once, since there's an Indian take-out near his office, and he told me that the smell in his car as he drove home bothered him so much that he immediately binned the food the minute he got home. He kept complaining that it smelled like body odor.

I know many people who don't eat fish (at all). I don't get that. But I'm Catholic, and the idea of not eating fish on Fridays is bizarre to me. McDonalds Filet-of-Fish sandwich actually originated in my home town, in Ohio, as a way of maintaining business on Fridays when most Catholics wouldn't eat meat. I still don't eat meat on Fridays, even though I'm not religious.

Huge fan, but prefer the yolk mixed in. I actually prefer the German version without raw egg (Hakpeter). If egg is to be included, I highly recommend Davidson's pasturized eggs. Any version needs plenty of raw onion or shallot. Maggi is good as well, just a few shakes.

[R83] thanks for the reply, I love hearing about different versions.

I live in what the east & west coast assholes called flyover country. Sushi and raw oysters are readily available here. Steak Tartare has been available her since the 70's. I've had them all and really enjoy them. I've never gotten sick from them.

Your welcome OP. This dish seems to come in and out of favour. I've been eating it since childhood, and assume it's an acquired taste. My mum was a chef, and would make it for us at home quite often. Friends and neighbours thought us odd. This was 70/80s in London. I think unless one really liked French food, it was exotic back then.

Thanks for the info R76 and R82 - I questioned him on his tastes, simply because I couldn't quite believe what I was hearing (I am from a lower middle class background myself and do not associate any of those foods with the 'elites' - I was eating sushi from strip malls back in the 90s), and it doesn't sound like those foods are unavailable there. Just that he has never tried them.

The intriguing part of this is that he considers himself something of a foodie. Owns a sous-vide machine, the Kenji Lopez-Alt books, watches some food tv etc. I guess I haven't tried literally everything available at a regular supermarket but I feel like you would actually have to be actively trying to avoid foods like curry and avocado. When asked why he hadn't tried these (to me) very normal foods, he seemed embarrassed and like he didn't want to talk about it. He said he didn't feel an aversion or anything, he just hadn't tried them.

On the one hand I didn't want to come across as a bully but on the other hand, damn, that almost feels like wilful and/or pathological unadventurousness. To top it all off he's Catholic but not really very observant (apparently).

R82 I assume your ex is British (you sounds British)? A Brit who refuses to even try curry? That's extraordinary. Was he raised in one of those classic "boil the shit out of everything, and a tiny pinch of salt is about as spicy as it gets" households?

Here's a fabulous recipe for steak tartar! I make it often!

I love it and carpaccio

I guess people now don't eat lamb but lamb chops was pretty common in the 50s thru 70s when I was growing up. It was a middle class American staple, with mint jelly, which I am sure is now considered tres unsophisticated. I keep a jar in the fridge to have with the occasional lamb chop for nostalgia sake. I've returned to a lot of meals of my childhood including butter lettuce with red onion and blue cheese dressing.

R88, No, he's not British. He's African-American. He's never had any kind of Indian food. He was willing to give it a shot, but backed out. We actually had a talk about it, and suggested, the next time he stopped over, that we would discuss it a bit more. Growing up, I remember going through all the little herb and spice jars in my Mom's cabinet to familiarize myself with them. Once you know that cumin is its own ingredient, with its own smell, it doesn't seem so overwhelming. African-American cooking has its own horrors (chitterlings) and I know very well those are off-limits to him, too. So, at least I've never been asked to push myself beyond my boundaries. He likes my cooking, but I keep it within the bounds of what I know he'll eat, since he trusts me.

Looks like pig slop.

R91, same here. We had lamb chops for dinner quite regularly - sans mint jelly though. I had no idea that was even a thing until well into my adulthood. First time I ever ate mint in a meal was when a guy invited me over to his house for a dinner/date and one of the sides he made was peas with mint & butter.

I find applesauce goes well with lamb. Or a red wine reduction.

This video is surreal.

Gee with salmonella in the raw egg, e-coli in the raw beef and add trichinosis in the raw pig brain and you have the gastrointestinal trifecta.

How is that surreal r96? It’s a straightforward recipe for steak tartare by a French chef. Nothing even vaguely unusual

Thanks R96 for that perfectly classic steak tartare recipe, looks delicious!

It's a fucking hamburger. Ground beef. Mustard. Ketchup. Onions. Bread.

John Elway has a restaurant chain that has a good recipe that I’ve made. It’s really rich so small batches are better. I got the beef from the really good butcher in my neighborhood so I didn’t worry about getting sick. This thread makes me want to make it this weekend.

It's raw meat, no thanks

You'd eat it if you were starving.

[quote]I got the beef from the really good butcher in my neighborhood so I didn’t worry about getting sick.

That makes about as much sense as saying you can't get AIDS if you only fuck strangers at The Four Seasons.

[R104] Just stop.

WHY? Oh that's right a baby falling 11 stories to her death is fodder for jokes BUT....

I won't eat any meat that's not cooked and has to be well done. Anything pink or bloody, no thanks.

Welcome Donald r107. Want some ketchup with that charred steak???

[R107] We’ll make sure you get some chicken nuggets, don’t worry.

I love it. Prepared at a fine restaurant, it's divine.

Loooooooove it. I respect the choice of those who don’t wish to have raw foods — but don’t rain on my parade. There is obviously disagreement here as to how high the risk actually is — I think it’s quite low. And quite frankly, *any* prepared food can be contaminated with E Coli. If you truly don’t want to risk exposure to this, you would be better off never eating out so that you can completely control the food quality mode directly.

Ohhh, what’s that? You aren’t willing to give up dining out, even though the risk of food poisoning by chefs/cooks who don’t understand proper prep or hygiene or cross-contamination, etc.? I won’t judge you for this lack of consistency in your argument — please don’t judge me.

I've never had steak tartare and never will, the idea of eating raw meat when I didn't like rare doesn't appeal. For all the braggarts eating raw oysters, I recently heard about a man in my area who died from vibrio after eating some. I had thought bad raw oysters would just result in nausea, diarrhea, etc. but vibrio has a 50% fatality rate!! These were consumed in a month with an "R" also, so the old wive's tale doesn't hold true.

R96 Never have I been served ketchup with tartare in France. This chef is a sick fuck.

Just why??????

R114 she’s thir$ty!!!

Enjoy!

And just wait until the Republicans deregulate the food industry.

Love it! Always thought it would be gross before I tried it and when I did I surprisingly thought it was great. And contrary to the marys on here, getting sick or worms from freshly made steak tartare is unlikely. Unfortunately I can only get this delicacy when I visit big cities because there is some stupid law in my town that says all restaurants have to cook beef at least to medium and won’t allow raw beef, which pisses me off because people should have a right to take whatever chance they want with their food.

R116 Honey, you can get salmonella from lettuce 🥬! There have been several recalls on lettuce in recent years due being contaminated with salmonella.

For a while in my state it was illegal for restaurants to have steak tartare on their menu. You could ask for it but most restaurants didn’t make it. It’s made a comeback though, like martinis and cigars did.

Most food borne illness is from produce not meat. It's just more like to be fatal with meat products.

R120 Do you live in Illinois?

Ground beef that sits around for weeks is not the same as freshly chopped steak.

[quote]And New Yorkers wonder why they’re so despised in the midwest.

No we don’t.

Raw meat and raw egg? Vomit inducing. Change your diet, pig.

[quote] And New Yorkers wonder why they’re so despised in the midwest.

Honey, the Midwest doesn’t even cross our minds.

That’s a little too on-the-nose, r126. I vastly prefer r124.

R75 Not surprising... some people will go to a restaurant and always order mac and cheese or a hamburger.

My grandfather had trichinosis. He was Irish and they used all parts of the pig for food. I don’t know if he got it from eating undercooked pork or from butchering. Everyone did their own butchering back then.

[R126] When is the last time you went on a road trip through the U.S.? Fun fact: New York only has 1 UNESCO World Heritage Site. There’s a whole country for you to explore, and it’s all yours.

No offense, but it looks revolting, especially the raw egg yolk.

I prefer all of my food cooked thoroughly, perhaps a little burnt.

I’ve always wanted to try it, but I was not sure it would taste good.

OP I think you’re kind of gross for gratuitously slamming people living in the Midwest.

They have it at Sardi's but it's too heavy on the chives. It's better without them.

[quote] OP I think you’re kind of gross for gratuitously slamming people living in the Midwest.

Which means you're also slamming our lord and savior Pete Buttigieg.

Food poisoning is a small price for sustenance.

I've eaten it and it was delicious. I also eat sushi & raw oysters. I've never gotten sick. And I live in what the coastal assholes call flyover land.

[quote]I’ve always wanted to try it, but I was not sure it would taste good.

You're not going to taste it, you'll taste all the spices they throw on it to mask the fact you are eating raw cow.

R138 You don't have a clue how it tastes. You probably didn't follow the links either. There are NO strong spices used. This isn't a spicy flavour at all, just a well balanced seasoning. Pepper is the only actual spice in the dish.

Cat food.

[quote]You're not going to taste it, you'll taste all the spices they throw on it to mask the fact you are eating raw cow.

And you're still getting nutrients you won't get from eating burnt plant matter.

[R133] I added the flyover part in the same way a chef would supposedly add a strong spice to steak tartare. I don’t care that you live in Newton, MA, sounds boring.

The raw meat bothers me less than the raw egg for some reason.

Meat loses its vitamins when it's overcooked.