The Raw Deal: Steak Tartare and Beyond
Plus, we've got two recipes to share and news about a new vendor coming to North Market Downtown.
In this post:
If you’re a fan of steak tartare, we round up some other raw dishes to try.
Food writer Isidora Diaz shares her recipes for Chilean crudo and pisco sours.
News from around the Columbus food scene
Expand Your Raw Beef Repertoire With Dishes Like Kitfo or Kibbeh Nayeh
By Bethia Woolf
There aren’t that many people who are ambivalent about the idea of eating raw beef. You’re either into it or you’re not. If it’s not your thing, read no further.
The archetypal raw beef* dishes are steak tartare and carpaccio (see suggestions for them below), but the Europeans certainly don’t have a monopoly on the genre. Raw beef dishes span from Vietnamese bò tái chanh and Turkish çiğ köfte to Mexican carne apache and Wisconsin’s cannibal sandwiches.
Still with me? Great! I’ve had a lot of fun exploring how it’s done around the world, and seeking out some of the more far-flung preparations that have landed in Central Ohio.
Below are some of our favorites.
Ethiopian Kitfo
Kitfo is the most common version of tere siga or “raw meat” served at Ethiopian restaurants in the U.S.
Originating with the Gurage people of Ethiopia, kitfo consists of high-quality raw beef that is minced and mixed with mitmita (a chile powder-based spice blend) and niter kibbeh (a clarified butter infused with herbs and spices). It is served with a side of ayib (a fresh cheese somewhat between feta and cottage cheese), more mitmita and injera (the crepelike flatbread made from teff).
Traditionally kitfo is served raw, but can also be prepared lebleb (slightly cooked) or yebesele (fully cooked). This aromatic dish is delicious either way. Locally, you can find two good versions of kitfo at Addis ($14.99) and Lalibela ($13.99).
Check out this link for a deep dive into kitfo.
Lebanese Kibbeh Nayeh
Kibbeh nayeh is a traditional Lebanese dish made from raw minced lamb or beef, combined with bulgur wheat, finely chopped onions, and a mix of Middle Eastern spices such as cinnamon and allspice. Often served with fresh mint, olive oil and pita bread, kibbeh nayeh is a staple at Lebanese holiday feasts.
In Grandview, kibbeh nayeh is served monthly at Mazah’s Lebanese night held on the first Monday of every month ($21). At Mazah they use very lean beef chuck and grind it with the bulgar and onions. The mixture is then spiced and seasoned. It is accompanied with pine nuts, olive oil, pickled onions and hausi (the cooked ground beef mixture found inside fried kibbeh). The texture is much smoother than a French tartare and more spreadable. Kibbeh nayeh is served with pita bread; you can always add a side and dip to round out the meal.
Korean Yukhoe
Yukhoe (or yuk hwe) literally translates as “raw” (hoe) “meat” (yuk). While other meats may be used, beef is the most typical.
At Don Pocha Korean BBQ on Reed Road, you will find yukhoe as an appetizer ($13). Chopped beef is marinated in soy sauce and sesame oil. It’s served with Asian pear, cucumber, raw egg yolk and sesame seeds. The flavor profile is much sweeter than a typical French tartare, and I think it would make a great gateway introduction for those who are tartare-curious or who are familiar with tuna tartare.
Steak Tartare and Carpaccio
Steak tartare can be made with finely chopped or minced raw beef. It’s commonly mixed with ingredients like capers, onions and parsley and sometimes Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco. Traditionally, steak tartare is served with a raw egg yolk on top and accompanied by toast.
If you’re looking for the classic French version of the dish in Columbus, Cameron Mitchell has you covered. You’ll find it at The Guild House ($18), The Avenue Steak Tavern ($19.99), Butcher & Rose or Mitchell's Ocean Club (both $23). The presentation and accouterments vary between the restaurants and may include capers, shallots, Dijon mustard and some type of toast or crostini. Unsurprisingly, tartare is a feature at the new Downtown French bistro, Chouette, where it’s served with potato crisps instead of toast ($19).
Outside of Chouette and the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant group, it seems that beef carpaccio reigns supreme in local restaurants. Carpaccio is the Italian take on raw beef and instead of being chopped or ground, it is served as paper-thin slices of beef often topped with arugula and a vinegar-based dressing. The dish is common at steakhouses such as Hyde Park ($21) and Jeff Ruby’s ($30), and it’s a longtime favorite at Lindey’s ($16). Local Italian restaurants like Martini Modern Italian ($22) and Nicola ($16) also feature the delicacy. At Cento in German Village carpaccio is served with stracciatella, truffle, potato and chives ($25).
*For safety’s sake, we should note that the USDA recommends that beef (steaks) should be cooked to 145 degrees F and ground beef to 160 degrees F. We do not recommend serving raw meat to those with compromised immune systems.
Recipe
Try At Home: Chilean Crudo
By Bethia Woolf
One of our first exposures to international variations of tartare was when our Chilean friend, cookbook author Isidora Diaz, introduced us to Chilean crudo.
Crudo is similar to tartare but includes the use of lemon juice, garlic and cilantro. It has become one of our celebratory go-to dishes, especially when served with some pisco sours (a great use for leftover egg whites).
While you won't find Chilean crudo on local restaurant menus, it is easy to make at home.
This is what our friend Isidora taught us:
"Go to a good butcher for your beef. Allow for approximately half a pound of meat per person. Ideal cuts include eye of round, top round or sirloin tip, in that order of preference. If they don't have those specific cuts, any lean cut from the butt will do. It needs to be trimmed of any fat or nerve and then ground. We grind ours at home using the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment.
Ingredients:
Eye of round, top round or sirloin tip
Baguette
Softened unsalted butter
Dijon mustard
Lemon juice
Merkén (a smoked paprika or substitute with another smoked pepper)
Pounded garlic
Sweet diced onion
Finely chopped cilantro
Raw egg yolk (save the whites for pisco sours)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Preparation:
Toast your baguette in thin slices.
Flatten ground beef onto a plate. Liberally scatter the toppings on the meat (except butter and mustard). Mix toppings into the beef and then re-flatten.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.
Serve on buttered toast smeared with mustard.
Bonus: Isidora’s Pisco Sour Recipe
Ingredients:
3 parts pisco
1 part simple syrup
1 part lime juice
1 cup ice
1 egg white
Preparation:
In a blender, mix together pisco, syrup, lime juice and ice.
Taste.
Blend in 1 egg white.
Notes
Around the Columbus Food Scene
North Market Downtown announced this morning that a popular slinger of Philly cheesesteaks is set to join the market family. Marlow’s Cheesesteaks will take over the market space vacated by Willowbeez SoulVeg. Husband-and-wife team and Philly natives Jomar and Shanika Sheppard first launched Marlow’s in Gahanna in 2022 and have since expanded to Budd Dairy Food Hall and Ohio Stadium. Marlow’s is targeting a mid-October opening for the North Market location. Customers can expect a menu of beef, chicken and veggie cheesesteak sandwiches, french fries and water ice desserts.
The final Grandview Hop of the season takes place 5-9 pm this Saturday, Sept. 28. The community night market will feature pop-up vendors, kids’ activities, food trucks, beer gardens, live music and much more. The event is being held in conjunction with the Festival for Good, which will showcase a variety of social enterprises.
Columbus is losing one of its best retail butchers. After eight years in business, The Butcher & Grocer in Grandview is closing for good at 2 pm Friday, Sept. 27. (The shop originally planned to stay open until Oct. 1, but its meat cases are almost bare.) In a post on Instagram, owner Tony Tanner said he’s closing the shop to focus on the meat production side of his business. (The shop is for sale if you know anyone who wants to open a butcher shop.) If you’re looking for butcher shop alternatives, you might check out The Hungarian Butcher (Linworth), Macelleria (Bexley), Weiland’s Market (Clintonville) or Bluescreek Farm Meats (Plain City).
Marlowe's serves interesting and delicious fries. They're thin with great potato flavor and perfectly crisp. It's hard not to eat them all before the cheese steak which is also near perfect. Great addition to North Market.