steak
Tartare
Not for everyone, Steak Tartare relies on the freshest and best quality fillet steak without a trace of oxidisation. A staple of the French kitchen it can be found almost everywhere in France and I need to add that my best ever was in a simple local restaurant in Lyon. Mixed at the table it came with perfect chips, such unanticipated excellence for a minuscule price.
Its preparation can be a very personal thing, with many true devotees preferring to mix their own, so when thinking about writing Steak Tartare up I have ended with what is basically a guide for the uninitiated.
You may choose to mince the fillet rather than hand chopping it, but none of the condiments can be machine cut, so get ready to put in the love.
AO 25 august 2026
Currently not on their menu, but if you find it on the menu at Bar Lune it is my favourite restaurant Steak Tartare in Adelaide [pictured below]. You might like to ask pass on the pepitas!
get ready to chop
300g perfect beef fillet without any oxidation, chopped or minced at the very last minute
held for at best 30 minutes very tightly wrapped with no air pockets
25g p/w shallot, very finely chopped
30g drained cornichons, finely chopped
10g capers, drained and rinsed, finely chopped
5g p/w garlic, finely chopped….optional
2g Maldon sea salt
2g freshly and coarsely ground black pepper
10g tomato sauce
10g Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
2g tabasco optional
10g smooth Dijon mustard optional
10g stalked and finely chopped herb, parsley, chives and chervil are good choices
1 extra large, very fresh egg yolk
for the initiated
Sorry no pic, but when serving this in a restaurant we would serve the meat in the middle with individual small heaps of the components around the meat. Many serve the egg yolk in the middle of the meat, but I think a small remekin is best so that people can choose the amount of yolk and it is not so dependent on the size.
For example for a 50g meat tasting portion we would use a quail’s egg yolk.
Condiments such as Tabasco, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce usually come on a condiments tray with a pepper mill and a small dish of salt.
mixing for the uninitiated
Some discussion is required with the diner. Start with have you ever had steak tartare before? If yes they are bound to already have opinions.
For the steak tartare virgin, to ensure they are smitten more questions are required.
Do you like a little bite? Is that bite on the mustard or the Tabasco side? Once you have an insight into the diner mix it in front of them and give them a tiny taste, and work forward from there.
the right bread
It is fair to say there is probably not a right bread. Some love the charred ciabatta but I am not so fond. For me toasted brioche is my first choice, followed by toasted Jim Lahey’s ciabatta [pictured above].
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Copyright © text and images Ann Oliver 2026 unless otherwise stated