Non cooked meat?

[RonP]

I just tried a little Ethiopian restaurant last night. The man asked me if I wanted the meat cooked or raw. He said they serve either way. He said they eat raw alot in Ethiopia. I'm thinking about trying raw but want to know more first. They serve everything, cow, chicken, lamb. I don't think they serve pork though.

BTW: I had the lamb cooked. Like a stew. Was excellent. With "tortillas" that were like sponges. Eat with your hands. I like it and will go back.

[Ryan Murdock]

He said they eat raw alot in Ethiopia.

Um... i think maybe that's because they can't find anything to burn for fuel... ;)



With "tortillas" that were like sponges.

Paul Theroux described them as having the consistency of a soggy bathmat. Absolutely brilliant.

I love Ethiopian food. There's a great place in Toronto on Queen West if you're ever down that way.

[deckard]

Raw minced/grounded pork (similar to Tatar) on bread is quite commen here in Germany.

[hammer_2020]

Charles Darwin's crew, during his research voyages, was composed mostly of Argentinian gauchos, apparently, and they ate a diet consisting mostly of cooked and raw meat. Apparently, they never got scurvy because they got all the vitamin C they needed from the raw.

[RonP]

Mostly I"m interested in the possible problems of someone like me who has never eaten raw meat; to eat it. Might I get sick? Not that there is anything wrong with the meat. Just that I'm not used to it? Or might just not work for me?

I appreciate the general discussion. Sad anyone would condescend those "tortillas". I thought they were great and perfectly made for the purpose of soaking up the stew. That's what gave them taste.

I think I may have found my newest favorite restaurant. Even the offering of "spicy". Just gave a small plate of red pepper powder to dip in. Thought that was great. Can be as hot as I want. And I learned down in Baha to love spicy hot food. Especially when it's hot outside. Besides.... I live at night and the restaurant stays open unusually late.. :)
I may just start joking with the owner that if I eat there enough; I might just start running like an Ethiopian. Or God forbid, a Kenyan. :)

[hammer_2020]

Just be sure the meat is sanitary and you shouldn't have any problems, really.

[Reverend Linus]

Just be sure the meat is sanitary and you shouldn't have any problems, really.

Many cuisines that serve raw meat do so with sauces that aid in keeping the meat safe. For example, the wasabi which is served with sushi and sashimi has an antiseptic effect that helps kill off any parasites or bacteria that might be present in the flesh. If the raw dish you are eating has lemon or lime juice, horseradish, vinegar, peppers, etc., it has a similar effect, so you should be fine. In Ethiopian cuisine, there are plenty of acidic and peppery ingredients that do this job.

As for pork, it is safer to eat raw pork in Europe - the trichinella worms which cause trichinosis are much more common in the States and in developing countries than in Europe.

I love Ethiopian food - and since I'm a vegan I'll just mention that they usually have numerous vegetarian options on the menu as well. Try one of those and you won't have to worry about the raw meat at all!

[JasonE]

I rarely get the chance to eat raw meat I can trust, but I have never regretted the times I've tried it. Especially sushi! :)

Thanks for the reminder about Ethiopian cuisine. There's a great restaurant in my area that I now need to visit again! Love those soggy, tasty bathmat tortillas!

[lafnjack]

No offense intended Linus, but according to a wide variety of sources, wasabi doesn't kill parasites. Many famous sushi restaurants purposefully pursue high quality fish ("sashimi grade") and avoid some types of fatty fish (like raw salmon) because it reduces the risk. This is a reason why eel is cooked and not served raw, is its parasite risk.

http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200210/000020021002A0124150.php
(randomly chosen from a google search)

This indicates it has some anti-bacterial properties, but only against some strains of bacteria, and depends alot on the wasabi being used.

Bringing the meat down to very low temperatures has shown to kill parasites. So freezing is a good option in the case of fish. Not too sure about other critters...although I dig my steaks rare, and have rarely had issues. Raw chicken seems scary, as does raw pork. I've known a couple folks who got very sick from undercooked chicken before.

[Reverend Linus]

Thanks for the correction and the link, John. I guess the wasabi thing is an old wives tale - the person who passed it on to me was a sushi chef.