A new cookbook on the scene that feels as fresh and insightful as Luke Powell’s Quality Meats doesn’t come along often. It’s like a documentary on meat (with a notable nod to veg) filled with all I’ll ever need to know about preparing, curing and cooking it… with a good amount of detail on sausage-making too. Will I ever make mortadella? Probably not. Is it interesting to know how it’s done? Most definitely.

Powell is known around town for his excellent meaty provisions, which are seen across the city on some of our tastiest menus (like Le Foote, Bar Copains and Good Ways Deli). He closed his eponymous restaurant a couple of years ago, and he has skin in Bella Brutta, the Newtown spot firing out some of the best pizzas in Sydney. LP: longtime hospo legend, first-time author.

What I like most in his first book is that he doesn’t talk in whimsical spells about just knowing when something is ready. He lays out the facts or, in this case, the temps, visuals and cues for success. It’s heavy on technique and intel from years of experience, which translates to heaps of different things to cook, not just meat.

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When I first flicked through the fire-engine-red number, the beef tartare caught my eye. There it was: my first cook. On special occasions, my family always had kibbeh nayyeh on the table. It’s a dish of spiced, raw minced hogget served with sliced raw onion and slabs of butter drizzled in olive oil. It’s truly spesh. And beef tartare at home fits into the very same category. It just feels… lush.

True, it’s normally a restaurant-only number, one of those dishes that feels out of reach for the everyday woman. But when I landed on page 128, I realised making it is easier than saying it. I still don’t know the correct pronunciation, and I honestly don’t care, because once the plate hits the table you’ll be too busy scooping and ahh-ing to announce its arrival.

This is not a recipe where you take advantage of that discounted steak at the shops, the one with mere hours left of its life. A good butcher is essential (as always, honestly) for this one, and I leant on my old faithful Emilio’s in Rozelle.

The team sorted me out with some very nice biodynamic topside from Cowobbee at just $12 for the 400g required – a generous four-serve that was more like an eight-serve.

Then it’s time to chop. Mix small-ish cubes of beef with all the ingredients that matter: Dijon, egg yolks, hot and fish sauce, diced shallot, chopped chives and smoked olive oil (this one from Mount Zero is an ongoing obsession of mine). Pile it high onto your plate and match that with a mountain of chips and you’ve done it. Congrats.

LP’s tartare is tangy, spicy and salty, with that oniony zing you want – without feeling too intense to stop you going back for a third, fourth and fifth chip. It took a matter of minutes to whip together and would taste good off your boot. Absolutely brilliant.

So, just as you should keep supporting your local restaurant, butcher and baker, don’t forget about the sweet bookshop down the road stocking excellent reads. Pre-order this meaty tome, or nab it from your favourite indie book store next week.

Quality Meats by Luke Powell hits shelves on Tuesday July 30.

Gemma Plunkett is a Sydney-based dinner party tragic. She works as a food writer, recipe developer and content strategist. Find her (but mostly food) in pictures or fortnightly in your inbox via her free newsletter Ding!