Sous Vide: Pasteurized Steak Tartare–2020

Sous vide pasteurization adds a reassuring layer of safety to this exotic dish whose popularity dates back to the 19th century.

Ingredients

Beef Hanger Steak, 8 0z/225 g.
Whole egg, in-shell, 1 each.
Green onions, sliced thin, 1 Tablespoon.
Capers (or cornichons), 1 Tablespoon.
Ground black pepper, as desired.
Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon.
Worcestershire sauce, 0.5 teaspoon–traditional recipes occasionally use anchovies.
Kosher salt/your preferred seasoning blend, as needed.

French bread, baguette.
White toast, buttered (optional).

 

 

Equipment requirements

Immersion circulator, portable or stationary.
Lipavi C10 heat rated container.
Lipavi L10 rack or equivalent.
Heat rated sous vide bags.
Channel or chamber vacuum device.
Food processor or meat grinder.

Actual prep time, 1 hour
Level of difficulty–2.25
Serves 2-4

Above: Lipavi C15 container, N15 polycarbonate rack. Lipavi C15L lid.

Procedure:

Set the sous vide bath to

128 F/53 C.

Stage the trimmed hanger steak into a dedicated vacuum bag. Seal and sous vide process for 10 hours. This will tenderize and pasteurize/preserve the protein. Submerge the unopened package in iced water until 70 F/21 C is achieved–this usually takes about 15 minutes. Refrigerate the beef to 40 F/4 C after cold shocking.

Increase the heat in the bath to 135 F/57 C. Carefully lower the in-shell egg into the bath and process for 75 minutes to pasteurize. Shock the in-shell egg in cold water to 70 F/21 C and refrigerate at 40 F/4 C.

Cut the steak into small cubes, approximately 1″/3 cm.

 

Finish chopping the meat using a food processor on “pulse.” Traditional recipes call for chopping the meat by hand, frequently delegated to apprentices or as punishment for impertinent cooks. A meat grinder can also be used utilizing a coarse plate. Avoid chopping the meat too finely. Stage into a shallow bowl.

Add the green onions.

Add the capers.

Add the mustard and ground black pepper.

Add the Worcestershire sauce.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt or your favorite seasoning blend. Mix well.

Form into a ring. Set aside.

Lightly butter and toast (or grill) the baguette.

Remove the ring from the steak tartare.

Sprinkle the plate with green onions and capers.

Chopped parsley.

Drizzle with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. Cut the toast into desired shapes and stack behind the cylinder. Crack the pasteurized egg into a bowl and use a slotted spoon to drain off the egg white. Position the yolk in the middle of the steak tartare. Once mixed in, the yolk provides a rich, moist texture to the dish. As a matter of preference, many chefs omit the egg yolk out of consideration for squeamish guests.

Sprinkle with volcanic black salt (optional) and more parsley if desired. The egg yolk is then ceremoniously mixed into the meat “at table.”

As a Canapé

Steak tartare makes an excellent hors d’oeuvre for parties,

Simply spread on buttered toast and garnished with capers and green onions.

(and parsley).

A colorful addition to any gathering.

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About

While the origins of this dish are unclear, it is unlikely to have originated with the ancient, horse mounted Mongol warriors known as the Tartars. Even so, some traditional recipes call for the use of horsemeat and even the so-called "Tartar Sauce." Modern versions are mundane by comparison, but still intimidate some health-conscious people concerned about food borne pathogens. Sous vide pasteurization eliminates the risk without discoloring the meat or hard cooking the egg.

Because of sous vide's tenderization capabilities, almost any cut can be used to make this version of Steak Tartare.

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