6 Unique Ways You Never Thought To Serve Steak Tartare
Steak tartare is quite the decadent dish to make at home. No, it doesn't require a grill or stove like most steak dishes, but it does hinge on high-quality beef and other premium ingredients like capers and mustard to make it worth eating. Perhaps that's why we tend to reserve the classic French dish for fine-dining experiences. For anyone who wants to give it a go, you'll find plenty of tips for making delicious steak tartare at home, but what about how you serve this dish?
Across Europe and here in the United States, steak tartare is traditionally paired with the likes of toasted bread such as baguette or with crunchy potato chips for dipping. However, there are ways to reinvent the serving method to make it more appealing to guests at your next dinner party — especially those who typically scoff at the idea of eating raw steak and consuming uncooked eggs. Here at Tasting Table, we think there are far more creative ways to serve the ground or minced steak along with other toppings to elevate the dish into a unique appetizer. These ideas are great for those who can't fathom going too long without biting into fresh steak tartare but are bored with the usual pairings, and for anyone who can't stomach simply eating raw meat on its own with bread.
Fill mini tacos with steak tartare
You might have seen tuna tartare tacos on an eatery's menu, especially one that slings Mexican or seafood fare. So why not use the same technique with steak tartare? The minced beef mixture is easy to spread or spoon into tortillas; use mini corn or flour tortillas to make a bite-sized appetizer rather than a complete meal, since most people probably don't want too much steak tartare (except for those who feen over the dish — but they can always eat two or three tacos). Hard taco shells also work if you prefer the crunch.
Pair steak tartare mini tacos with some of the usual ingredients you would serve with cooked steak tacos. Tasting Table's crave-worthy guacamole and our fresh pico de gallo are two ideal toppings, and you can also add thinly-sliced radishes for crunch to contrast the creamy tartare, or a garnish of cilantro for fresh herby flavors. To take these mini tacos further, use other Mexican-inspired ingredients like fresh lime juice and chilis in adobo in the steak mixture for bolder flavors.
Skip the bacon and top baked potatoes with steak tartare instead
There are the usual toppings like bacon and sour cream, and then there are the more unexpected toppings to level up your baked potatoes — and steak tartare should join that list. Steak and baked potatoes are already a classic steakhouse pairing so it makes perfect sense to us. You can use small potatoes with steak tartare to serve as starters or a side dish, or use large baking potatoes loaded with steak tartare and other toppings for a decadent and complete meal.
Bake the potatoes with whatever preferred method you normally use, then slice them open and add butter if you please. Most concur that steak tartare must be served cold, but nobody wants a cold or room-temperature baked potato. To avoid either mishap, make sure the steak tartare is prepared and refrigerated first, then plate it alongside the hot baked potato or on top just before serving.
Pair with tortilla chips for crunch
Plain potato chips are a common pairing for steak tartare, especially at American bistros. But tortilla chips also offer quite the crunch, a tasty dose of salt, and an easy way scoop steak tartare off the plate and right into your mouth. The corn chips can also have a variety of seasonings to match the flavors of the steak tartare. Serve tortilla chips on the side or take things to another level by making steak tartare nachos with fresh lime juice, cilantro, and guacamole.
Store-bought tortilla chips will save you time especially if you're already making the steak tartare at home, so check out our ranking of the sturdiest store-bought tortilla chips to find a brand that will hold up to a spoonful of tartare. If you want to make tortilla chips from scratch to ensure the finest quality to match the decadence of the steak tartare, kudos to you; homemade chili lime tortilla chips will offer a delicious boost of flavor.
Make a cruditè platter with steak tartare
Considering steak tartare has high-quality steak, tangy mustard, and salty capers among other ingredients, you might want a light and simple dipper. Enter crudité — a combination of raw vegetables that provides fresh and vegetal flavors to temper the richness of the tartare. Since the vegetables will be crunchy, they will be just as easy to dip into the steak tartare as chips, but with less calories and more nutrients. Blanching is one of the best prep tips for serving tough vegetables on a cruditè platter as it will gently soften them while still allowing them to remain crunchy.
A typical combination of crudité veggies includes asparagus spears, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, sliced peppers, radishes, and sometimes grape tomatoes. But you can really customize it just like you would a charcuterie board with your favorite options. A crudité platter also often features some sort of soft cheese or dip, making it a good option if you have dinner guests who refuse to eat raw meat.
Use blinis — with or without caviar
Caviar is just as bougie, if not more, than steak tartare so it makes sense to serve the latter with the small soft pancakes known as blinis. This is a good serving option if you want a soft and fluffy vessel for the tartare compared to our crunchier suggestions. It's as simple as buying a pack of high-quality blinis, making your tartare, then putting a spoonful of it on top to serve as a canapé at your next cocktail or dinner party. Of course, you can also make homemade blinis if you're in the mood. Add a garnish of fresh herbs for a pop of color and extra flavor in each bite.
You might have had steak tartare topped with caviar at a fine-dining institution, so you can make your iteration even fancier by adding a small spoonful of caviar on top of each blini topped with steak tartare. The caviar will offer a salty burst of flavor that melds well with the tartare and fluffy blini. Obviously, caviar can be rather expensive, so this might be something to reserve for a special occasion.
Keep it classic with thick-cut fries
Another creative way to serve steak tartare is more classic than the other suggestions, but there are still ways to make sure you do it right. Perhaps you have seen steak tartare plated with some sort of fries before, but they often have one crucial flaw: They're thin and, therefore, flimsy. To make fries dip-worthy, they should be crispy thick-cut fries that can hold up to the weight of the beef and other ingredients. Steak fries, or any other thick-cut variety like waffle fries, will work for this steak tartare serving method.
It usually pays off to use frozen fries instead of making them fresh because they're prepared in a way that makes it much easier to achieve an optimal crunch. Cook the fries according to package directions to make them as crispy as possible, then serve them hot next to the freshly-made steak tartare.