Eating steak tartare in Paris (or anywhere): safe?
Oct 27th, 2003, 07:06 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Eating steak tartare in Paris (or anywhere): safe?
I used to live in Annecy, in France, and one of my favorite things to eat was steak tartare at this little restaurant called Les Airelles. Now I live in the States, and I never eat ground beef (and rarely eat beef at all) because I don't feel comfortable. All the recalls and stories about food contamination have me concerned enough to have altered my eating habits. My question is, is it safe to eat steak tartare in France? I know this sounds naive but I'm going to Paris and was really looking forward to this dish! I thought maybe they have different standards there with regard to meat production (as they do with GMO food)...
Oct 27th, 2003, 07:17 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,637
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HI
When you eat meat or eggs anywhere that are not thoroughly cooked, you are running a risk, usually a small one, but a risk. Personally, I take that risk sometimes because I am very healthy, have no immune system problems, am neither pregnant nor elderly, etc. You also run a small risk when you get into a car, or fly.
No one can give you a guarantee anywhere.
When you eat meat or eggs anywhere that are not thoroughly cooked, you are running a risk, usually a small one, but a risk. Personally, I take that risk sometimes because I am very healthy, have no immune system problems, am neither pregnant nor elderly, etc. You also run a small risk when you get into a car, or fly.
No one can give you a guarantee anywhere.
Oct 27th, 2003, 07:18 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just read an article about steak tartare.... I would think you would be okay at an upscale restaurant where you know the beef is fresh and has been kept refrigerated. Normally it is not what we would call hamburger, but high-quality steak that has been hand pulverized.
Oct 27th, 2003, 08:25 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 698
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This reminds me of standard fare at any function when I was a kid growing up in Milwaukee - raw beef and onions. At any affair where food was served, you would find a large tray with a huge mound of usually ground round, large slices of raw onions and sliced caraway rye bread. You would put the raw meat open face on the bread, add the onions and top with plenty of salt and pepper. People would eat this stuff like crazy. I don't think that I have seen this served in the last 30 years. I think with all the health concerns about even serving undercooked meat, this dish has virtually disappeared.
JoeG
JoeG
Oct 27th, 2003, 08:42 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,762
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Over the past few years I have had tartare many times in Paris. I live by two rules never eat it from a vendor (and eat it only in busy better establishments) and rule two is have some Pepto Bismal handy, just in case there is a "rumble".....keep in mind that beef is difficult to digest....raw beef is even more so....the rumble may just be your stomach saying "and I am supposed to do what with this"....hence the Pepto!
Oct 27th, 2003, 09:34 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 469
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
At Brasserie Balzar, 49, r. des Ecoles, Zagat 14(food), They prepare the Tartare in the room with great flourish. This a fun, upbeat brasserie with acceptable food. Food snobs lament the current ownership, as do we, but locals still congregate here, particularily for a late dinner. Try it. JP
Oct 27th, 2003, 10:08 AM
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 744
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for all the tips. I just wanted to clarify that I'm not looking for a guarantee of any sort. I understand it's risky business to eat raw meat. But I thought that since this is a much more common practice in France, and they tend to have higher standards with regard to food production, it might be significantly safer. In any case, I'm going for it, at least once!
Oct 27th, 2003, 10:50 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Along the same lines: I've eaten raw oysters my entire life, with no difficulty ever -- until last January, when my son and I ate them in Paris at an extremely busy seafood restaurant, and found ourselves extremely ill on the flight home 36 hours later. My son (who asked, before the first oyster, "These won't make us sick, will they?) will never eat oysters again in any form. I will, at any opportunity!
Oct 27th, 2003, 02:46 PM
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mp413,
Although it's been a year, we stopped for dinner at Brasserie Balzar, 49, r. des Ecoles (as oakglen mentioned) last September. While it wasn't prepared tableside, the staek tartare I had there was among the best of my life--and very fresh. My girlfriend ordered the sole meuniere and it was equally superb.
I know people say this place has gone downhill since it's new ownership but everything form the food to the service to the ambience was wonderful when we were there. I can't imagine how good it was before!
Strive
Although it's been a year, we stopped for dinner at Brasserie Balzar, 49, r. des Ecoles (as oakglen mentioned) last September. While it wasn't prepared tableside, the staek tartare I had there was among the best of my life--and very fresh. My girlfriend ordered the sole meuniere and it was equally superb.
I know people say this place has gone downhill since it's new ownership but everything form the food to the service to the ambience was wonderful when we were there. I can't imagine how good it was before!
Strive
Oct 27th, 2003, 03:13 PM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've eaten it a number of times and in a number of places and love it. Since I always order steaks rare, I don't think there is any more danger in eating steak tartare. Of course, I wouldn't get it at a place that I wouldn't trust for one reason or another. And while we're on the subject carpaccio of beef is served a whole lot -- which is also raw beef, and I've never had a problem with that either. In fact I've eaten it dozens of times in France and in Italy as well as other countries.
Oct 27th, 2003, 04:11 PM
#18
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In all honesty, I think it is just as likely that you will get equally sick from a piece of well cooked fish that was bad to start with. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a whole lot more people get sick from "tainted" fish or chicken that has been cooked than do from raw beef. But I must admit that's only a guess.
Oct 27th, 2003, 04:14 PM
#19
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think your odds on getting sick on raw meat are a touch higher than on eating cooked meat. After all, a piece of meat with some bacteria, is safe once it is cooked.
I had salmonella poisoning once, from a good restaurant in Bermuda, having had something with raw egg in it. I never want to be that sick again, so even if I ate red meat, I would never risk eating it raw.
I had salmonella poisoning once, from a good restaurant in Bermuda, having had something with raw egg in it. I never want to be that sick again, so even if I ate red meat, I would never risk eating it raw.
Oct 27th, 2003, 04:16 PM
#20
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
