Beef Tataki

Beef tataki is a Japanese method of preparing beef tenderloin in which the meat is briefly seared, then marinated, sliced into very thin pieces (similar to sashimi), and served with a citrus-soy sauce.
This simple yet impressive recipe allows you to prepare perfect beef tataki at home. It can be served on its own or with Asian salad leaves such as shiso or mizuna.

Marinade

• 30 ml soy sauce

• 45 ml cooking sake

• 30 ml mirin

• 1 scallion (spring onion), finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Beef

• 300 g beef tenderloin

• a pinch of salt

• a pinch of freshly ground black pepper

• sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

• 30 ml ponzu sauce (citrus-flavored soy sauce)

Preparation

Marinade

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Transfer the mixture to a pan and gently heat over low heat for a few minutes, just until lightly reduced. Remove from the heat, add the chopped scallion and garlic, stir, and set aside to cool. The scallion and garlic should remain raw.

Beef

Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper, then let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
Heat a medium-sized pan with a small amount of sesame oil. Sear the beef over medium heat for about 1 minute on each side—the center should remain clearly rare.

Slicing and Serving

Remove the beef from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Then slice the tenderloin into very thin pieces. Arrange on a long plate, drizzle with some of the marinade, and serve with a small bowl of ponzu sauce.

The tataki can also be covered and chilled in the refrigerator if you prefer to serve it cold—the flavor of the marinade will become more intense.

Tip

An alternative marinating method is to place the seared (but unsliced) tenderloin in a zip-top bag with the marinade and refrigerate for about 2 hours before slicing.