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The appetizer, Chic bistro

Beef tartare spoons

Beef tartare spoons are a bistro style bite for 6 people, served as individual appetizer portions. They take 30 minutes of hands on work, and you prep the beef and sauce in the morning, leaving only the final assembly for right before guests arrive. The dish is easy to make, costs about €2.40 per person, and the key is cutting the beef by hand with a knife rather than grinding it.

A real bistro tartare, just in bite sized spoons, so you get well seasoned raw beef in one perfect mouthful.

Beef tartare spoons
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
40 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.40
Calories per person
130 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Beef tartare spoons capture everything that makes a bistro tartare good, hand cut raw beef, a sauce sharpened with ketchup and Worcestershire, the crunch of cornichons and capers, all served in a single bite spoon format. Cutting the beef by knife keeps real texture, far from the mushy result you get from ground meat.

This is a great opener for a dinner party or a slightly festive family meal, served alongside other small bites at the start or as a shared starter. It works in any season and fits into a menu where the rest of the cooking needs little last minute attention, since all the real work happens before guests walk in.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 15 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

In the morning, chop the herbs and shallots and mix the sauce, everything holds fine in the fridge. Right before guests arrive, take out the beef, cut it with a knife and fold it into the sauce, then cover the bowl and keep it chilled. When it's time to serve, fill the spoons at the very last minute so the presentation stays crisp.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Beef for tartare, very fresh 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 2
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch

Pantry

  • Cornichons 6
  • Capers 2 tbsp
  • Dijon mustardoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Ketchupoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Worcestershire sauceoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Egg yolks 2

Allergens Eggs, Mustard, Fish

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Finely chop the shallots, cornichons, capers and parsley, and set them aside in a bowl in the fridge.

    Press the capers and cornichons in a towel so they don't water down the meat.

  2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oil, salt and pepper to make the tartare sauce.

    A dash of hot sauce if your guests like heat, add it at the end.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Take the beef out of the fridge and cut it with a knife into small even cubes, first into slices, then strips, then cubes. 15 min

    Put the meat in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting, it slices more cleanly.

  2. Mix the meat with the sauce and the chopped herbs, taste, adjust, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap back in the fridge.

    Taste with a clean spoon, the tartare should taste bolder than you expect, the cold will mellow the seasoning.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Fill the spoons with a small amount of tartare, press gently, and top with a caper or a parsley leaf.

    Use a small spoon to shape the mound, it makes a perfect dome.

Our tips to get it right

  • Ask your butcher for beef specifically meant for tartare and request a lean cut like filet or rump steak, which cuts more cleanly with a knife.
  • Make a bit more sauce than you think you need and add it gradually to the meat, so you can fine tune the acidity and kick as you mix.
  • Serve the spoons on a tray tilted slightly or nestled in coarse salt, they stay put and won't roll around while guests help themselves.

The variations

  • Swap part of the beef for very fresh salmon fillet cut by knife, for a half beef, half fish tartare that's a nice change from the classic.
  • Stir in some finely snipped chives or a pinch of Espelette pepper into the sauce for extra flavor.
  • For a faster version, make the sauce and the chopped herbs the day before, leaving only the beef to cut that morning.

What to serve it with

  • Crispy blinis or toasts on the side
  • A glass of light red wine
  • Fresh raw vegetables for crunch

Storage

Once mixed, the tartare keeps for 2 hours maximum in the refrigerator in a covered container, since seasoned raw beef doesn't hold well longer than that. It doesn't freeze. Fill the spoons just before serving rather than ahead of time.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use a different cut of beef?

Filet or rump steak work best for tartare, their firm texture cuts cleanly with a knife. Avoid cuts that are too fatty or sinewy, since they make the texture unpleasant to eat.

Do you really need to cut the beef by hand instead of grinding it?

Yes, that's what gives tartare its texture. A grinder crushes the fibers into a paste, while a knife leaves small pieces that keep their bite and their juices.

What's the best way to plate the spoons for a party?

Use matching soup spoons or porcelain spoons for a uniform look. Shape a small dome with a teaspoon and top it with a caper or a parsley leaf for color.

How many spoons should you plan per guest?

Count on 2 to 3 spoons per person if this tartare opens an appetizer spread with other bites. Plan for 4 to 5 spoons if it's the main part of the cocktail hour.

Can beef tartare spoons be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make beef tartare spoons?

Allow 40 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in beef tartare spoons?

About 130 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does beef tartare spoons cost?

About €2.40 per person, that's €14.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, mustard, fish. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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