10 Reasons Why You Should Try Tartare

Chances are you have been to a restaurant before and seen the offering of “steak tartare” on the menu. It is typically a special or delicacy and often described as one of the most succulent and delicious items on the menu.

However, if you have never sampled tartare before, you may be slightly disappointed to find a serving of raw beef on your plate instead of a seared, juicy steak. Simply put, steak tartare, or tartare, as it is often called, is raw or nearly raw beef served with egg yolk. Tartare can also come in the form of raw or nearly raw tuna.

While many are apprehensive about sampling tartare because it comes raw, it is one of those foods that you simply have to try before you “get” why it is so popular. So, if you are on the fence about trying raw meat for the first time, here are ten great reasons why you should finally give it a chance.

1) It’s Bursting With Flavor

Not every person is a steak person. In fact, a lot of people find it bland and boring. If you want a serving of meat that is packed with flavor and never boring, give tartare a try. It is sure to impress and can range from spicy to citrusy and everywhere in between.

2) It’s Completely Safe to Eat

One of the biggest reasons people tend to be apprehensive about tartare is because they think that eating raw beef is going to make them sick. If you are eating fresh steak tartare, it’s going to be just as safe as eating anything else on the menu. For those worried about bacteria, chefs know how to kill them off, typically in a process that includes submerging the beef in boiling salt water for ten seconds, then dropping it into a bucket of ice water for 10 more.

3) It’s Easy to Digest

Did you know that it is actually more difficult to digest cooked meat than raw meat? So, if digestion issues tend to be a problem for you, then raw tartare may be the way to go.

4) It is Filled With Enzymes

When meat is cooked, many of the important enzymes found in that meat are killed off. This is why so many people love eating raw beef- for the health benefits and all of the nutrients that stay in these meats when they are served raw.

5) It is Filled With Vitamin B

As you start to digest that steak tartare, you won’t only get a delicious snack, but you can also get a great serving of vitamin B as well. There have even been some studies that have linked the vitamin B in raw beef to better reproductive health.

6) It Will Open Your Eyes to More Food Options

Trying steak tartare is a great way to begin opening your eyes to more food options that you may never known were out there before. Steak tartare may be just the beginning to testing out some truly delectable dishes that you never thought of before. Many times, those apprehensive about trying new or unusual foods, only need a gentle push on one thing to start trying even more options.

7) It is a Great Source of Protein

The egg yolk and raw beef in steak tartare are both great options for those who want to build lean muscles and introduce more protein into their diet.

8) Your Immune System Will Thank You

Vitamin C is essential to maintaining a healthy immune system. While most people think of vitamin C as coming from vegetables and citrusy fruits, it can actually also be found in meats—until they are cooked. When you cook meat you automatically kill the vitamin C, when you eat it raw, you get to keep all of those vitamins in your meal.

9) You Can Get More Oxygen to Your Body

When you see that red juice in red meat, chances are you thought it was blood, it is actually a mix of protein and water. This is called myoglobin and it actually helps move oxygen to your muscles—a major health perk of sampling tartare.

10) It is Delicious

If all of these other benefits haven’t convinced you yet, eating raw steak tartare isn’t just good for you and typically misunderstood, it is also delicious as well and will be one food that we promise you will love to eat. Try it on its own, as an appetizer or mixed in with other foods for a dish you simply have to taste to believe.

If you take the plunge and finally try tartare, you may walk away with a new favorite meal or walk away feeling as apprehensive as you did before. Either way, this decadent dish is one item that is worth a try for anyone who wants to open up their taste buds to something new.