Definition

Noun: A dish consisting of finely chopped or ground raw beef, typically seasoned and served with ingredients such as raw egg yolk, onions, capers, and anchovies.

Usage

This term refers specifically to the prepared dish. It is used as a mass noun (uncountable) when referring to the food substance and as a countable noun when referring to a serving or type of the dish. - It is a classic appetizer in some European cuisines. - The dish is always consumed raw.

Examples

• For dinner, he ordered steak tartare.
• The restaurant's steak tartare is famous for its perfect seasoning.
• I have never tried steak tartare before.

Advanced Usage

• As a culinary term: The phrase can be used to describe the specific preparation method (e.g., ), though the full term "steak tartare" denotes the complete dish.
• In menu descriptions: Often listed under appetizers or main courses, sometimes with modifiers indicating the cut of beef or specific accompaniments (e.g., ).

Variants and Related Words

• Tartare: An adjective used to describe other raw, finely chopped dishes prepared in a similar style (e.g., , ). When used alone as a noun in a culinary context, it is often understood to mean "steak tartare."
• Cannibal sandwich: A regional (Midwestern US) term for a similar dish of seasoned raw beef on bread.

Synonyms

• Beef tartare
• Tartare (when context is clear)

Notes on Meaning

The definition is specific and culinary. It does not refer to a cooked steak or to the cut of meat itself, but exclusively to the prepared raw dish. The name is sometimes historically associated with the Tatar people of Central Asia.

Noun

1. ground beef mixed with raw egg and e.g. onions and capers and anchovies; eaten raw