Wisconsin Health Department: Skip Holiday Tradition of raw meat sandwiches

The Wisconsin State Health Department is urging citizens to avoid a so-called holiday tradition.

Through social media this week, the department says, “there’s one holiday tradition you need to pass on: raw meat sandwiches.”

The sandwiches, sometimes called tiger meat, cannibal sandwiches or South Dakota steak tartare, are considered a holiday tradition by many families, according to state officials. The raw meat is typically served with crackers.

The tradition appears in midwestern states with significant German populations, such as South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota, among others. However, the sandwiches, which include raw ground beef, raw egg and onions, along with a mix of spices, poses a threat for salmonella and other bacteria.

The Wisconsin state health department says ground beef should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The warning made national media rounds early this week. However, eating raw ground beef or pork dishes is common in Germany and other foreign nations.