The first time I had Maison Premiere’s steak tartare was in January 2020. I had been to the bar since then, albeit only for drinks, but I hadn’t stopped thinking about that salty, crunchy, garlicky beef dish. Finally, I got my fix again a couple of months ago, and it was just as perfect as I’d remembered. It was so good that our small table of four had to order a second plate because it went so fast.

To find out what makes it so special, I went to the source by speaking to Maison Premiere’s chef Jorden Smith. As expected, great steak tartare always starts with great beef.

“Always use a prime cut of meat, such as tenderloin, sirloin strip or ribeye,” Smith says. “I find grass-fed tenderloin has the cleanest flavor and the best meat-to-fat ratio. When butchering, I like to remove all the sinewy fat from the external cut so you’re left with nothing but the lean meat.”

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If you’re a fan of the dish, you’re likely familiar with “hand-cut” steak tartare, which is exactly what it sounds like — a steak tartare prepared with beef that is cut by hand rather than a food processor. Not only does it give the meat a superior texture, it also better preserves the beef’s flavor. Smith agrees.

“Texturally, I prefer hand-cut versus ground,” he says. “I find it’s best to dice the meat as small as possible — while keeping the meat really cold — and don’t over-mix once cut! This maintains a firmer texture and quality.”

While Maison Premiere’s steak tartare contains classic ingredients like capers, anchovies and mustard, they also add confit garlic for a rich flavor and garnish it with fried shallots for a crunchy, satisfying texture. Served with griddled sourdough bread, it’s quite simply a perfect food.

Maison Premiere’s Steak Tartare

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients

100 grams Ortiz anchovy fillets
50 grams confit garlic
50 grams Creole mustard
40 grams fresh lemon juice
7 fresh egg yolks, divided
1 cup garlic oil
1 pint olive oil
Up to 1 quart canola oil
55 to 60 grams beef tenderloin, trimmed and finely diced
12 grams capers
12 grams shallots, finely chopped
8 grams chives, finely chopped
3 grams espelette pepper
10 grams Worcestershire sauce
8 grams confit garlic oil
Salt, to taste
Fried shallots, for garnish

Directions

For the anchovy aioli:
1. In a large bain-marie or mixing container, use an immersion blender to blend anchovies, confit garlic, mustard, lemon juice and 6 egg yolks into a smooth paste.
2. Slowly emulsify by streaming in oils while blending. Begin with garlic oil, then olive oil and finish with canola oil (note: you may not need the full amount of canola). Continue blending until a thick, mayonnaise-like consistency forms. Avoid adding oil too quickly to prevent breaking the emulsion.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice, if needed.
For the steak tartare:
1. Prepare all mise en place. Pulse-chop the capers in a food processor or Robot Coupe until just coarsely chopped.
2. In a small container, layer and weigh the following (from bottom to top): Worcestershire, garlic oil, capers, shallots, then beef. Combine the mixture with chives, espelette pepper and salt to taste.
3. Use a ring mold to plate the dish (a chilled plate is best). Start with a couple dollops (or more if you’d like) of anchovy aioli on the bottom, followed by the steak tartare. Garnish with a raw egg yolk and crispy fried shallots.

Meet your guide

Amanda Gabriele

Amanda is InsideHook’s Senior Editor and has been writing about food, drinks, travel and style for 16 years. She’s written for Travel + Leisure, Eater, Gear Patrol and New York Magazine among other outlets.