Why do people like undercooked meat?

[Eleeza]

Me and some girlfriends went for a meal last night and a couple of them had their steak rare and this got me thinking this morning what exactly is this love of rare (Undercooked) meat? Is it because the diner likes the taste of blood or is the the consistency too tough? Isn't undercooked meat dangerous as all germs and parasites are not killed and doesn't undercooked meat cause problems with our digestive systems as well?

[boxtops]

I think it's gross but that's my opinion. My meat has to be well done, the slightest look of undercooked and I won't eat it. I don't think our digestive systems have problems with raw meat, it just turns my stomach.

[society]

"Why Do People Like Undercooked Meat?"

Everyone has different taste - different strokes for different folks!

[jd_1984]

All the top chef's serve red meat medium/rare. They say to overcook takes the taste from the meat. But there are some that cant stand blood or pink meat and that is fair enough. Probably mind over matter, I was a well done kind of guy but have been coverted to medium, wouldnt eat rare though. Its an individual thing

[ummmm]

It doesn't taste like blood and if the meat is rested properly you shouldn't have blood over your plate.

I've converted a few people to rare meat.

[ummmm]

Meat like duck...there are no comparison between medium and well done. It has to be lovely and pink.

If you over cook steak it changes the texture imo...

[society]

"I love the taste of blood mmmm "

LOL Lady Helen, stop sounding like a vampire! x :-)

[pastafreak]

I hate the sight of roast beef that has been cooked til it is grey. It always seems tough,and is definitely way too dry. Medium rare has always been MY preference....as it is down to personal taste.
As for bacteria....much of it will come from how the meat is handled...buy from a reputable butcher,and follow safe practices for handling and storage.

[ethandron]

yep, i'm with pasta, medium rare is the way i enjoy red meat, much more tender and tasty. it's one of the reasons i never got along with a george foreman grill, it steams meat and all the juices run out of it and leave you with a piece of cardboard.
my husband was in a hotel once, away on business. in the restuarant he ordered a chicken dish and was asked how would you like your chicken cooked sir? his answer - properly!!

[society]

Helen, don't worry, I knew what you meant. I was only teasing you. :-)

[starone]

Personally I like all my meat well done. The sight of blood would put me right off. If you cook beef in a slow cooker with whatever herbs you like it does not go grey and keeps all the lovely juices in and moreover it is so tender it melts in your mouth. I have often wondered if eating nearly raw beef could not be a contributing factor to the human form of mad cow disease, but as I am no scientist this is probably completely wrong.

[Valeriea]

I cannot stand rare meat. For 1 thing it is a health risk!

[ummmm]

If it's that much of a health risk restaurants wouldn't be allowed to sell it rare.

[DTCwordfan]

Valeria it is properly cooked if allowed to rest properly - in fact the cooking process goes on for somewhile. I agree with you if you carve it off the backside, slap it on a sizzling barbie for 2 minutes a side and immediately serving it. It will not have cooked in the middle and all the juices flow in their. Let it rest and ythe juices migrate outwards giving it the taste and moistness. Cut it straight away and you get them and the blood coming out.

All meat should be rested, varying time for the meat concerned - and even fish for 5 minutes.......

[JR369]

Does meat contain Bacteria and Parasites? yes! Does cooking kill Bacteria and parasites Yes! So not cooking properly allows bacteria to multiply and parasites to survive? Yes! So why are places allowed to sell rare meat? probably because most of us can kill the bacteria in our stomachs and there's no way to prove that the parasites that have infested our intestines a year later was from that place that sold us the rare steak.

[gingejbee]

And why do they like raw fish.... and over-cooked vegetables?

[woofgang]

I love a bloody steak...I wouldn't expect my meat to have parasites in it and research has shown that the bugs associated with meat are on the outside of the piece and not within so so long as the outside is well seared its fine.
I do however understand that it can be offputting for other diners....

[yogasun]

Am I mis-remembering (?) but when I was young all meat seemed to always be cooked right through.
I can recall my mother would slap meat straight back in the oven if a skewer drew a trace of blood.
Is it just in the last decade or two that it has changed?