GRASS FED BEEF TARTARE - CHEF CJ BARROSO
Egg Yolk, Shallots, Capers, Pickled Ginger, Mustard Seeds, Soft Herbs, Baguette.
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER HODSON
Beef tartare is undoubtably one of my favorite things to enjoy and will always be guaranteed to be ordered whenever I see it on a menu. It holds a special place in my heart and on my palate because of the memories associated with the way in which I discovered it. There was a time when I did not know that meat could be eaten completely raw, but that’s a story for another day deserving of its own attention in its own dedicated post. My mother still thinks I am crazy for eating it. Beef tartare requires one thing first and foremost, and that is high quality beef. While this point should be obvious, you would be surprised at some of the questionable tartare’s I’ve been served over the years. I’ve had mystery meat in Romania and I’ve eaten horse and duck tartare in Montreal (yes it’s a thing, and legal in Canada), So when I find one that really enjoy, I appreciate it, along with the Chef that made it, that much more.
While it isn’t that complicated of a dish to make, it does require a developed palate and strong working knowledge and understanding of flavors, along with proper basic seasoning. The best beef tartare’s I’ve ever had understand that the beef needs to be the star of the dish, while all the accompanying accouterments play the role of supporting actors. Some of the tartare’s I’ve enjoyed the least, weren’t necessarily bad, they just had too many things and too many competing flavors, often causing the beef in the dish to almost become an afterthought. I tend to subscribe to the philosophy of ‘less is more’ and ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’ In the case of this dish, served at the Lost Fox Inn in Litchfield CT, Chef Cj Barroso has encompassed all of these things in a beautiful display with his grass fed beef tartare, making it the ‘Dish of the Week.’
Upon my return to the Lost Fox Inn to have this dish a second time, I had the opportunity to talk to Chef CJ about the dish and how it came to be. It wasn’t on the original opening menu but made its way on after the the Inn’s Owner asked for a steak tartare randomly one night. CJ being the talented Chef he is, took a few minutes to see what ingredients he had available to him and then went to work. The owner enjoyed it so much that it made its way onto the menu and ‘Viola’ as CJ stated. The beef itself is hand cut grass fed ribeye which in my opinion is so much more flavorful than tenderloin, which most people seem to use for some reason. Chef CJ says that the secret ingredient in the dish that ties everything together is an aged Spanish sherry vinegar. While very subtle it adds the umami factor, bringing everything together and making it a truly delicious beef tartare and one of my favorite dishes so far in 2025. Well done Chef!