Carpaccio and tartare are both raw meat dishes served as appetizers. The two dishes differ in taste and texture but both utilize beef and fish. The meat is served with vegetables and seasoned with spices to add flavor.
Carpaccio vs Tartare
If you can’t make up your mind regarding which one to order, continue reading to know everything about the two.
Carpaccio
Carpaccio originated from Italian cuisine but is now enjoyed worldwide as an appetizer. Carpaccio originated as early as 1950 in Venice and become popular by the end of the twentieth century. Carpaccio is mainly any kind of meat but specifically beef and fish. Multiple varieties of fish are used in Carpaccio including salmon and tuna. For the beef, mostly veal meat is used due to its juicy tender texture.
Carpaccio meat is cut into paper-thin slices and marinated with rich spices. To properly cut the meat, you must use a professional cutting knife. If the proper technique is not followed, the meat will not be cut precisely. If you’re planning on making some carpaccio at home, make sure you master the art of cutting meat.
Before marinating the meat, the meat is properly cleaned. Meat is at times dipped in salt and vinegar water to make sure all harmful bacteria are cleaned out.
The thinly sliced meat is chilled before serving to enhance flavor. There are multiple herbs and flavoring that add to the flavor. The commonly used spices are salt, pepper, olive oil, a little bit of lemon juice to add a tangy flavor. Finely chopped parmesan and capers are also added to Carpaccio.
Although both beef and fish are used, beef is more popularly enjoyed. Fish carpaccio is served similarly. The fish is first cleaned properly, then marinated in salt and lemon juice. Then the marination is chilled before serving.
Is carpaccio safe?
Carpaccio is raw meat and if meat is not cooked at high temperature the bacteria doesn’t die. Females who are pregnant should avoid Carpaccio along with young children, older adults, and immunosuppressed individuals.
Tartare
Tartare is also a raw meat dish, the meat mostly includes minced beef, horse meat, and fish. Unlike Carpaccio, which is only served with slight marination, tartare is served with vegetables. The vegetables include capers, fresh peppers, onions, shallots, and fresh herbs for seasoning.
The meat is finely ground and mixed with the vegetables. Once the vegetables and meat are properly mixed, the mince is then seasoned with herbs and flavoring sauces like Worcestershire and oyster sauce.
Tartare utilizes different types of meat. The famously eaten meats include beef and fish. The beef is minced properly and combined. While the fish is used as it is. For beef tartare, the mince is cleaned and set for a while so that all the blood drains out.
Next, it is mixed with vegetables and all the necessary spices. Since raw meat tastes different as compared to cooked meat, all the flavor comes from fresh herbs and spices. After that, the mince mixture is properly mixed and stenciled on a pate in any shape. The usual shape is a semi-circle or a complete circle.
Fish tartare requires fewer vegetables and flavor as compared to beef tartare. The fish must be cleaned properly before making tartare otherwise it can cause serve food poisoning and diarrhea. Once the fish is thoroughly cleaned, it is mixed with vegetables and seasoned. The seasoning includes fresh herbs and spices to flavor. After that, the fish mixture is properly mixed and stenciled on a plate. Like Carpaccio tartare is also served cold and as an appetizer.
Is tartare safe for consumption?
Food choices tend to vary from person to person. However, it is always advisable to eat safe food. Tartare unlike other meat options is not as safe as it sounds. Raw meat has a lot of harmful bacteria which only gets killed once the meat is heated at high temperatures. Whereas tartare is served raw and is packed with harmful bacteria. This bacterium not only makes you sick but can also lead you to the ER in a critical state. It is advisable to avoid tartare if you’re expecting a baby because food poisoning can cause dehydration.