Steak tartare has never been more popular in the United States than it is right now, which might just open the door for Mexico’s version to take center stage. Though they both start with finely chopped beef, Mexico trades the mustard for lime, the shallots for red or white onion and the parsley for cilantro. And the cooks there throw in a handful of tomato, too, and a good amount of chile for spice. Creamy avocado, of course, adds a beautiful texture to the dish’s meatiness. On second thought, it’s really only beef and salt that tie the traditional and Mexican versions together.
Though carne tártara isn’t a very common dish in Mexico, I’ve come across it regularly in Mexico City, and in Chiapas, Michoacan and on the sidelines of soccer fields on Chicago’s lakefront. I know some cantinas and tacos de guisados places in Mexico that serve a cool plate of carne tártara with warm tortillas for making tacos. But it’s at least as common a topping for tostadas, the crunch of the crisp-fried tortillas providing a wonderful foil to the soft richness of the meat. At El Jarocho in Mexico City–my current tacos de guisados spot–they add tiny cubes of fresh panela cheese, which I love. You can add it, too, if you wish.
About the chile choice: Green chile is by far the most common in Mexico, but I lean toward chipotle for both its smoky-spicy flavor and its color. Lime grays the meat’s color, but chipotle keeps it looking rosy. And while most cooks in Mexico make carne tártara from beef that they’ve bought already ground, I never trust the pre-ground stuff for raw preparations. I always grind it myself.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound best-quality tender beef—tenderloin, ribeye, New York strip, sirloin
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 to 3 canned chipotles en adobo plus 1 tablespoon of the canning liquid ---OR--- 2 serrano chiles, roughly chopped
- 1/2 small red or white onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 medium ripe tomato, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
- 1 ripe avocado, cut in half, pit removed, fleshed scooped from skin and cut into ¼-inch pieces
- About 3/4 cup cup diced panela cheese (pieces less than ¼ inch are the best) (optional)
- 16 warm corn tortillas
INSTRUCTIONS
Chop/grind the beef. Cut the beef into 1-inch pieces. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with a silicon mat or parchment paper and spread out the meat in a single layer. Freeze until firm, but not frozen all the way through, about 45 minutes. With a meat grinder fitted with the coarse blade or in batches in a food processor, chop the beef (I like pieces that are a little smaller than ¼ inch). Scoop into a bowl.
Finish the dish. In a blender or food processor, combine the lime juice, Worcestershire and chiles. Process until smooth and stir into the beef. If you want the meat to be lime-cured (like ceviche), cover and refrigerate for an hour or so; for a traditional tartare texture, continue on. Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold water, shake to remove excess water, then add to the bowl, along with the tomato and cilantro. Gently fold in the avocado and, if using, the cheese. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 1/2 teaspoons. Scoop into a bowl, decorate with a few cilantro leaves and serve with warm tortillas for your guests to make tacos.
