9 Culinary Delights Made from Raw Red Meat

Raw ingredients, such as seeds, nuts and fruit, are the centerpiece of modern diets. However, if you saw a raw pork sandwich on Instagram, you might think the diner had taken "clean eating" to the extreme. But for foodies, uncooked meat isn't just a protein source: it's a delicacy.

Despite bacterial concerns, diners around the world seek out the freshest cuts of raw meat for the velvety texture that cooked meat doesn't quite provide. If you love sushi, you understand. Grilled salmon is fresh and flaky, but nothing beats the cold, buttery sensation of raw fish on your tongue.

1. Steak Tartare

Steak tartare has entranced diners since the 20th century. Chopped raw beef, capers and onions cushion a raw egg yolk like a bird's nest, creating a savory French delicacy. High-end restaurants appreciate steak tartare because the simple recipe offers a blank canvas for their own enhancements, such as chiles, salted plums and pickled green almonds.

2. Carpaccio

Like Caprese salad, carpaccio turns a few humble ingredients into a savory appetizer. Olive oil and lemon juice add vibrancy to raw meat sliced so thinly that it's almost transparent. While traditional Italian carpaccio features beef, modern versions offer fish, lamb, veal and even sliced vegetables.

3. Yukhoe

Korea's take on steak tartare combines diced or sliced raw beef with juicy Korean pears. Soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions and pine nuts infuse the cold, savory beef with Asian flavors. Chefs often top yukhoe with a raw egg yolk or serve the egg on the side for a rich, creamy dipping sauce.

4. Kachilā

Nepal restaurants delight their guests with a traditional Newari dish: raw minced chicken, lamb or water buffalo meat mixed with chili, garlic, coriander and other spices. Fenugreek seeds fried in turmeric give kachilā a spicy flair. If you've never had water buffalo before, butchers report that it tastes like lean beef--perfect for people on low-fat diets.

5. Kitfo

Ethiopians swap out the egg yolk for niter kibbeh: a clarified butter flavored with cinnamon, cloves, turmeric and peppercorns. The rich butter and mitmita, a traditional spice blend, turn minced raw beef into a luxurious meal. Instead of utensils, guests scoop up kifto with injera, a spongy Ethiopian flatbread.

6. Gored gored

In the same tradition, gored gored features chunks of raw tenderloin or round steak smothered in awaze, a sauce loaded with dried chili, hot peppers, cardamom, rue seeds and Ethiopian mead. If you're worried about the spiciness, the injera absorbs some of the heat. Still, use a light touch because awaze packs a fiery punch, ranking high on the Scoville scale.

7. Kibbeh nayyah

A Lebanese favorite, kibbeh nayyah brightens holidays with a succulent blend of raw beef, veal or lamb, bulgur wheat, butter, spices and fresh mint. After mixing the ingredients, cooks flatten the meat in a festive dish and scratch designs on the surface with a fork. If you have leftovers tonight, the red meat paste can become fried kibbeh balls tomorrow.

8. Çiğ köfte

Turkish chefs knead çiğ köfte for twenty or thirty minutes to get the right texture. Instead of cooking the meat afterward, they present the appetizer as-is: lumps of raw minced meat flavored with bulgur wheat, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and chopped onions. Modern recipes often eliminate the meat for health reasons, but some foodies don't mind the risk.

9. Mett

Mett is a German delicacy with few ingredients: raw minced pork, salt and pepper. For a meal, some diners spread the minced pork on bread and add spices and raw onions. If they feel like celebrating, mett becomes mettigel--an appetizer made from raw pork shaped like a hedgehog with black olive eyes and onions for spikes.

Have you tried any of these delicacies? Does uncooked red meat excite you, or would you prefer to stick with sushi? Share your thoughts in the comments.