Chef Graziella
Abbacchio a Scottadito
Roman lamb chops grilled over scorching heat, seasoned with nothing but salt, rosemary, and fire. You eat them with your hands, straight from the grill, burning your fingers because you cannot wait.
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Carne Cruda all'Albese
Created by
The refined raw beef of Alba, where hand-chopped meat meets nothing but lemon, olive oil, and shaved cheese. This is not French tartare. This is Piedmontese restraint at its most eloquent.
Main Dishes
Italian, Piedmontese
Dinner Party
Date Night
25 min
Active Time
0 min cook•25 min total
Yield4 servings
Carne cruda is not tartare. I must say this immediately because Americans conflate the two, and they are not the same thing. French tartare arrives with egg yolk, capers, cornichons, mustard, onion, and enough distractions to mask indifferent meat. The Piedmontese version from Alba has none of these. It has beef. It has lemon. It has olive oil. It has shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano. That is all.
This simplicity is not primitive. It is the confidence of a region that produces some of Italy's finest beef, from the Fassona cattle of Piedmont, and sees no reason to bury that quality beneath condiments. What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. The Albesi understood this centuries ago.
The beef must be hand-chopped with a sharp knife, never ground. A meat grinder crushes the fibers and releases moisture, leaving you with wet, pasty meat that tastes of iron. The knife preserves texture. Each piece remains distinct. The dish should have resistance when you bite into it, not collapse into mush.
When white truffles are in season, the Albesi shave them over their carne cruda instead of cheese. This is one of the great luxury preparations of Italian cuisine. But the version with Parmigiano is no lesser dish. It is simply what you make the rest of the year, when truffles are not perfuming the hills of Langhe.
Carne cruda has been prepared in the hills around Alba since at least the 19th century, when Piedmontese farmers served raw beef from their prized Fassona cattle as a celebration of the meat's quality. The dish gained international recognition alongside Alba's white truffle trade, though locals maintain that the simple lemon-and-oil version predates the truffle-topped luxury by generations.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
beef tenderloin or top round
Quantity
1 pound
trimmed of all fat and sinew
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
3 tablespoons
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
2 tablespoons
about 1 lemon
flaky sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Quantity
2 ounces
in one piece for shaving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| beef tenderloin or top roundtrimmed of all fat and sinew | 1 pound |
| extra virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons |
| fresh lemon juiceabout 1 lemon | 2 tablespoons |
| flaky sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
| Parmigiano-Reggianoin one piece for shaving | 2 ounces |
Equipment Needed
- •Very sharp chef's knife
- •Large cutting board
- •Chilled mixing bowl
- •Vegetable peeler for cheese shavings
- •Chilled serving plates
Instructions
- 1
Source and chill the beef
Speak with your butcher. Tell them you are eating this beef raw. Ask for the freshest tenderloin or top round they have, from a source they trust. The meat should be deep red, not brown, and should smell clean, almost sweet. Place the trimmed beef in the freezer for 20 minutes before cutting. Partially frozen meat is easier to slice thin and chop fine.
If your butcher seems uncertain about selling you beef for raw consumption, find another butcher. This is a dish that depends entirely on the quality and freshness of the meat. There is no cooking to save you. - 2
Slice the beef thin
Using your sharpest knife, slice the chilled beef against the grain into rounds about one-eighth inch thick. Work quickly so the meat stays cold. Stack three or four slices at a time and cut them into thin strips. The strips should be roughly one-eighth inch wide.
- 3
Hand-chop to proper texture
Gather the strips into a pile and chop with a rocking motion, using one hand on the knife handle and the other pressing the spine near the tip. Turn the pile ninety degrees and chop again. Continue until you have small, distinct pieces about the size of large lentils. Do not chop to a paste. The meat should have texture. You should see individual pieces. If it looks like baby food, you have gone too far.
A meat grinder is forbidden here. The crushing action destroys the texture and releases moisture that should stay inside the meat. The knife is not negotiable. - 4
Season immediately
Transfer the chopped beef to a chilled bowl. Add the olive oil and lemon juice. Season generously with flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold gently with a fork or spoon to distribute the dressing. The meat should glisten but not swim. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The lemon should brighten, not dominate.
- 5
Plate and finish
Divide the dressed beef among four chilled plates. Use the back of a spoon to spread it into a thin, even layer. Some shape it into a neat circle; others prefer an organic mound. Both are correct. Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano over each portion. The shavings should be translucent and plentiful. Drizzle with a final thread of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- •The beef must be cold when you serve it, but not so cold that the fat has solidified. Take it from the refrigerator to the table in one motion. Do not let it sit.
- •Fassona beef from Piedmont is the traditional choice, known for its tenderness and clean flavor. American grass-fed tenderloin is a worthy substitute. Avoid heavily marbled beef; the fat does not melt at cold temperatures and will taste waxy.
- •When white truffles are in season, from October through December, replace the Parmigiano with generous shavings of fresh truffle. This is how the wealthy of Alba serve their carne cruda. But do not use truffle oil. Ever. It is synthetic perfume.
- •Some add a whisper of garlic by rubbing a cut clove on the serving plate. I do not object to this. But the garlic must not touch the meat directly. A whisper is different from a shout.
Advance Preparation
- •The beef can be trimmed and chilled up to one day ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic.
- •Do not chop the meat until just before serving. Once cut, the surface oxidizes quickly and loses its fresh color.
- •Chill your serving plates in the freezer for 10 minutes before plating. Cold plates keep the beef cold longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 145g)
Calories
310 calories
Total Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
6 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
14 g
Cholesterol
80 mg
Sodium
450 mg
Total Carbohydrates
1 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
31 g
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