Wisconsinites turning to comforting family traditions during the holiday season have been warned by their state health department to avoid one in particular: cannibal sandwiches.
The sandwiches – also known as “tiger meat” and, for the fancier-minded, “steak tartare” – consist of ground raw meat, typically beef, on a slice of bread, topped with raw onions.
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I used to see these in German bars, sitting on the bar under a cake glass, unrefrigerated. No, I never got drunk enough to try one.
Come to think of it, I don't recall ever seeing anybody else try one either.
Never tried it as a sandwich (well, one exception I'll explain later*). My family would always put the raw (ground round?) beef on rye bread. Top with raw onions, salt and pepper. Wonderful! Pretty much a staple at Christmas gatherings. My side of the family is pretty much dead (or dead to me) and my wife's family never did this. Alas, I no longer have these.
ReplyDelete*One year, I was given one of those burger press things for Christmas. I made a whole bunch of "burgers" with the aforementioned ingredients. My father, however, was not as thrilled as I pretty much used up the raw beef that he was looking forward to eating.
WiscoDave
In Germany did you ever try schmeck? It's basically congealed bacon grease with bits of bacon and onion spread on a piece of bread? Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteSteve L.
Grew up with a bowl of bacon grease sitting on the counter to spread on toast!
DeleteWiscoDave
My grandfather use to eat raw hamburger with a slice of onion once a week or so. He washed it down with a couple bottles of Ballentine ale.
ReplyDeleteIn Pittsburgh in the 60's and 70's, I would often order raw kibbeh in the mid-eastern restaurants. Served on a plate with oil and onion on top. There came a time when they quit serving it, likely due to heath warnings. I did enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteYou have to chase a Cannibal with a Raw Egg dropped in a good sized glass of (Lager) Beer... then you are truly an old school Wisconsinite!
ReplyDeleteForgot that the other accompanying beverage is a "Tom & Jerry" which is also full of raw eggs.
ReplyDeleteI gave my dog some raw deer meat the other day and he couldve shit thru a screen door and not touched a damn thing. So yea, I’ll pass.
ReplyDeleteNot used to meat. Tells you what isn't in dogfood.
DeleteWhat you are looking at is called Mett which is freshly ground pork with onions served on a fresh Brötchen. Yum! I miss those mornings stopping at the local butcher on the way to work to pick up some smoked bratwurst and a couple of Mett sammiches. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteRaw ground pork with onion. Delicious, nutritious and safe when fresh. It's called "Hackepeter" here in Upper Franconia. Kenny you wuss, you missed a treat, sir (though perhaps your caution not eating it from dubious bars was wise).
ReplyDeleteExplain to me and the rest of the class how eating raw pork is “safe” from trichinosis?
DeleteBuddha
Explain to me and the rest of the class how eating raw pork is “safe” from trichinosis?
DeleteBuddha
When a German farmer slaughters a pig, it has to be inspected before it can go to the butchers. Not certain what happens if their is any sign of trichinosis, but if it passes it is as clean as it can be.
DeleteIn small places they actually lay the bled-out carcass on the sidewalk to make it easier for the inspection. In case you are wondering about the blood, Blutwust has to start somewhere!
They taste great.
ReplyDeleteDuring my time in the airforce every Friday one of the NCOs went into town and came back with 2+ bags of brötchen (bread roll), a kilo of Mett (ground pork), onions and butter and some volunteers made these things.
Tasty.
I wish I could go back in time.
Alex Lund
Ground beef mixed with onions, salt and pepper rolled into 1 inch balls and eaten raw, yum yum! Yes even in Europe when I was my 20's I would get acknowledge looks from the old folks when I ate that in the bar/café. You are accepted as being raise like one of them. (in France, Belgium, Germany and England). And even as an American they accepted me as "one of them" and not some "American/Yank" visitor. And yes I loved that Schmeck, especially when it was formed like a brotchen.
ReplyDeleteAs a young lad i worked in a farm butcher shop run by a Hungarian. In the early new year, I think, when we would kill the first bull of the year Mr. Kozub would do this. As the animal is hung upside down with its neck cut to bleed it out, all present for work would line up with cups and collect blood coming out of the animals neck, the animal is still kicking or scramming mind you. We would all hold up the cups and Mr. Kozub would say some Hungarian stuff, then on command we would all empty our cups of the hot steaming blood. The animal is still not dead mind you.
ReplyDeleteMr. Kozub would make that burger dish with raw eggs and spices, fresh in the shop, its amazing.
Cavguy
I love a cannibal burger, the only thing that gets cooked is the bread gets toasted while I am mixing in the seasonings and the meat.
ReplyDeleteI only eat them when HH6 is out she thinks its disgusting.
Then there was the cannibal who passed his brother in the woods.
ReplyDeleteBTW, Steak Tartar is fantastic!!
Mettbrötchen. Delicious.
ReplyDelete