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Sushi grade fish must be flash frozen to kill any bacteria, worms, etc. in order to be served frozen. Most fresh (killed, butchered and served quickly) food isn't really great, either taste wise or health wise. Especially if it's not fully cooked.

Most red meats sit out for a bit, either wet or dry aged, which enhances the flavors. Fish will need to be frozen or cooked to a safe temperature.




> Most fresh (killed, butchered and served quickly) food isn't really great

I have eaten raw skipjack tuna that I caught myself and never froze. Tuna, as far as I know, has very little risk of parasitic infection. It was delicious.


Unfortunately, tuna carries a high parasitic load, including parasites that can affect people:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25461601/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raw-tuna#parasites

You got lucky, and yes, it is delicious, but you're definitely playing health roulette.


Is not the worst fish in this sense. Cod is worse.

The real problem with tuna is that is an accumulator of nasty substances like mercury and also fast and nomadic by nature. This means that you can find Japanese tuna in California, or the Mediterranean, and this can be a problem.

Most of the fish parasites just turn into food after being cooked. Our stomach acid will not care. The number of marine fish parasites able to harm humans is very small. We are too hot for them. I could count all the major types with my fingers (I was surprised to learn (here) that Kudoa is a new problem in any case).


Yeah, it's not necessarily something I'd do again knowing what I know today. Thank you for the links. :)


I knew someone (a French person) who was a massive fan of tartare. Tartare is basically raw meat. He'd go to expensive tartare restaurants (in Paris), where hygienically-raised cows were killed, and the meat cut out and served, all in the same day. He described tartare as being the best thing ever. (I've never tried it.)


Steak tartare is also popular in Hungary, where it's called Tatár beefsteak. I still think it sometimes looks disgusting but I admit I love to eat it once in a while. (And any version worth eating is fairly expensive, since you should be using very good beef.)

The catch, for anyone who's never tried it, is that you're not just eating raw meat, you're eating finely chopped raw meat and butter and egg yolk and onion and toast etc.

Now I'm wondering what animals we do eat raw in America other than oysters and (if you know where to go) other sea creatures that might be alive when served.


I had it once when I was in Germany in 1989. It tasted like raw hamburger. I didn't much care for it but de gustibus non est disputandum.


This is really more common than many north americans think. Crudo, tartare, carpaccio, sashimi, etc. Cow, fish, horse, buffalo, etc. Some are raw & seasoned, some lightly cured (e.g. ceviche)


I'm french and yes "steak tartare" is quite common in restaurants (mostly in what we call "bistrot"). There is often a raw yolk on top.


In Germany and surrounding countries it is very common to eat raw minced pork meat (Mett) on bread/buns.


I seem to recall this was breakfast fare.


It is indeed. (Or dinner - we do sandwiches for breakfast and dinner)


This reminds me of my favorite classic internet cartoon about tapeworms, "The Worm Within". https://fray.com/drugs/worm/


I had a middle eastern variant (kibbeh or something?) here in Sydney and it was loaded with spices and tasted great. I am not a fan of raw meat for texture reasons usually though.


I have tried it by accident.

It was delicious...but if I ate it too fast I would gag.


Yes, seeing there "steak" and ordering it without knowing it's "raw" is a very common mistakes for tourists in France.


Tartare should be kept bellow -18 for at least 3 days as far as I know. You should never eat it fresh.




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