When it comes to Christmas dinner, each and every person has their own unique spin to the festive roast. But its recently been revealed that some Wisconsinites enjoy a raw meat sandwich over the festive period.
The sandwich in question – which is usually referred to as a ‘cannibal sandwich’ – consists of raw ground beef, on a slice of bread and topped off with raw onions.
Although it was recognised as a family tradition by the Wisconsin health department, they issued a warning about the consumption of raw meat, stating that: “Eating raw meat is NEVER recommended because of the bacteria it can contain. Ground beef should always be cooked to 160 degrees (Fahrenheit)!”
Furthermore, in a Facebook post, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services further elaborated that: “eating [cannibal sandwiches] poses a threat for Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter and Listeria bacteria that can make you sick.”
In a report from the US Department of Agriculture in 2018, it noted that “hundreds of people in midwest are sickened after eating cannibal sandwiches.” Eight outbreaks of illness in the state have been found in connection to raw beef consumption since 1986.
The report offered a “safe alternative” so Wisconsinites could still enjoy the delicacy just by simply cooking the beef in the same spices and toppings, instead of serving it raw.
Despite the health departments warnings, some people are less than eager to abandon tradition as one facebook use wrote: “Nope. As much as I respect the Dept of Health, I’ve been eating them since I was 6. I’m not stopping now. (And this isn’t ‘party food’. This is ‘I’m hungry for this and will eat it on any day that ends in Y’.)”
Its not clear exactly how popular the dish is, but in 2019 Bunzel’s Meat Market in Milwaukee told Wisconsin Public Radio it goes through more than 1,000lb of raw beef and 250lb of raw onions just for the sandwiches during the holiday period.
Owner of the meat market, Jeff Zupan, further told WPR that the sandwich appears to be making a comeback.
“People are now like, ‘Oh gee, I remember when Grandma made this.”
The tradition most likely came from northern European migrants who brought their dishes with them, and it seems that many and unwilling to let that go.
