Bison (or Beef) Steak Tartare

Contains: Raw meat, egg, optional soy. Is: Quick and easy, gluten-free.

bison, beef, tartare, raw beef, gluten-free, recipe, pear

It’s hot in July and August. So why not a dinner requiring no cooking? (Just source your ingredients PROPERLY!)

This is essentially steak tartare, which is raw meat from a very healthy source, and very fresh (or freshly thawed if you get the meat shipped to you from afar, like I did). I opted to go simple this time, but did steal a few ideas.

Beef tartare has its origins in Mongolia, and the French have adapted a preparation to their own needs. Korea also has a variety of foods that can be served raw (“hoe”). The “yuk” part of the name Yukhoe refers to beef. I opted against doing the Korean variant this time. Mainly because I didn’t want the sugar that recipe called for.

The Korean recipe I found called for an Asian pear as a side garnish. I have some regular Anjou pears around, so I used that. I also used the idea of lemon juice that a couple recipes had. I remember Dad making steak tartare when I was a kid – very fresh ground beef, which he added ground black pepper and probably a little salt to, topping with an egg yolk and capers.

The raw egg yolk atop is optional. I am raising my own chickens so I have no problem grabbing one of their raw yolks for this dish. To be extra safe, I chose an egg laid that morning. If an egg is contaminated with salmonella, it’s in the white part, by and large. To be extra safe, use as fresh an egg as you can, one grown locally to you. Crack carefully and discard the whites (or reserve for some recipe that requires the whites – it freezes well). If you have quail eggs, those would be so much better – my baby quail are as of yet too young to be supplying me with any.

Starting to dice and slice.

For the meat, I used 5 ounces of bison tenderloin petite fillet – my bison comes from WildIdeaBuffalo.com – I bought their starter pack a few months back, and it came with two parcels of that cut. (I made a regular pan-fried steak with mushrooms out of the first allotment. Yummers.) If you use beef, I’d certainly NOT use a supermarket slab – I’d use something from a local farmer who uses transparent and ethical growing procedures for his or her herd, and for their processing. You could possibly used pre-ground meat, but I’d think the texture of larger bits would be off – and I wouldn’t trust it as much anyway as some cut I can slice up myself. You can use ANY LEAN steak-quality cut for this dish. Lean is important, please. Too much wads of fat in, say, a ribeye, to do that raw.

Regards to the bison, normally I don’t find beef tenderloin to be all that flavorful. It may be because this is bison, or it may because this animal was 100% pastured, but this was definitely a flavorsome cut. I will note that the previous identical cut I got at the same time – which I cooked conventionally in a skillet to medium rare (with a nice sear) was decidedly more flavorful than beef tenderloin I have had in the past. So I just don’t know if the improvement is from the species, or how it lived its last months.

Recipe made back in April 28th, 2020, under quarantine.

Prep Time: 15 minutes.
Cook Time: What???
Rest Time: Not applicable.
Serves: 1, simply make separate individual servings for more.
Cuisine: A checkered history.
Leftovers: NO. Not unless you plan to COOK what’s left.

Bison Steak Tartare

1 5-6 ounce LEAN buffalo or beef fillet (very fresh, from a reputable source)
1 Asian or other pear, cored and sliced into thin slivers.
1/2 scallion / green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon gluten-free low sodium soy sauce or tamari (for soy-free, opt for coconut aminos)
Freshly ground pepper, and salt, to taste
1 very fresh egg yolk, unbroken.
Juice from 1/3 lemon.
Optional ideas: a sprinkling of sesame seeds, or perhaps a tablespoon of rinsed capers. Perhaps a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.

Note: to serve more than one, just double everything and prepare this to be dispensed individually to all the people who plan to eat this.

Place the beef in the freezer for about 50 minutes, to make it easier to slice thinly.

Prepare the seasoning sauce by mixing the garlic, scallion, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons caster sugar, freshly ground black pepper, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a bowl. Mix well. Set aside.

Peel the Asian pear and cut into matchsticks.

Remove bison from the freezer. Rinse it with cold tap water. Pat dry with a paper towel..

Cut or mince the beef finely using a knife – not a grinder. Then immediately add the scallion, soy sauce, salt, and pepper and mix using your hands.

Place the chopped bison or beef steak in the dish, with the pieces of pear around. NOTE – you can form the meat mixture into a shape by putting it into a small ramekin, pressing down, and then upturning it over that serving plate. This is not essential.

Make a slight concave area on the top of the meat mixture, and gently drop in your egg yolk. (Feel free not to use if you wish not to.) Squeeze the lemon third over the top of this, and add any of the optional ideas from above as your tastes dictate.

Serve immediately.

I think this would go nicely with a good-sized tossed salad. Maybe a few raw oysters or clams with mignonette as an appetizer, to keep this raw theme going. Fresh berries for dessert??