"The image of the typical television chef is one that's not only well-versed in all the culinary classics but also up for eating anything. While Ina Garten has built her brand on timeless dishes like roast chicken and beef bourguignon, there's one old-school dish she avoids: steak tartare. In her 2012 bestseller " Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics," she explains, "I never eat steak tartare or raw eggs, unless I know they're from a safe place.""
"Her avoidance is not just about her own eating preferences, but for the sake of her guests. The chef's style of cooking emphasizes the joy of bringing people together, which would be easily interrupted by any food safety concerns. She continues, "I'm not about to serve food to friends that requires me to explain its provenance." It's hard to imagine second-guessing a dish served up to you by Ina Garten, but that's probably even more reason for her to err on the side of caution."
"As a quintessential appetizer at high-end restaurants since the 1950s, steak tartare is demonstrably safe enough to eat, but any meat served raw is not without its risks. The concern with eating raw beef is the risk of food-borne illnesses from bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli, which in other meat dishes would be killed off with the heat of the cooking process."
Ina Garten avoids steak tartare and raw eggs unless they come from a known safe source, prioritizing guest safety over culinary daring. Her cooking philosophy emphasizes bringing people together, and she will not serve dishes that require explaining meat provenance to friends. Steak tartare has been a classic high-end appetizer since the 1950s, but raw beef can carry bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli that would otherwise be killed by cooking. Safe preparation requires sourcing beef from reputable suppliers, using whole cuts chopped just before serving, and following strict hygiene practices rather than using pre-ground beef.
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