Tartare safety
I know that when you eat ceviche, it's cooked by the juices you apply to the fish...and therefore safe to eat. But what about tartare? Is it cooked by any sort of topping and is it truly safe to eat?
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I know that when you eat ceviche, it's cooked by the juices you apply to the fish...and therefore safe to eat. But what about tartare? Is it cooked by any sort of topping and is it truly safe to eat?
6 Comments
Lots of people eat raw seafood--sushi and sashimi from Japan and clams and oysters on the half shell from a lot of places. If your seafood is very fresh and has no parasites, there's no reason to cook it at all. The "cooking" accomplished by the acids used in ceviche change the look and texture of fish and shellfish, but they don't do a heck of a lot to change the edibility. Just like SKK said about meat, acidity guards against bacteria, but it isn't fool-proof.
So...back to your meat question: get high-quality meat from a source that you trust in a country where your gut flora is adapted to what you'll find....and enjoy raw meat! Even raw chicken, but for that you'll have to be even more vigilent.
Tartar is not cooked by anything, it is raw. Get the best quality you can from a source you trust. Keep it at as low a temperature as possible, and don't expose it to warm air for more than the few minutes it takes to prepare.
Cut with a clean knife on a clean surface. Put it right back into the fridge at a very low temp.
Salt and acid, if you use them in your sauce, will provide some anti-bacterial benefits, but this is not foolproof.
If you have immune problems, are older, young children don't try it.