Has the WT ever said it's okay to steak rare?

by neverendingjourney 35 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  blondie

  Are you saying that jws have informally been told not to eat raw meat? Never heard that except that it might be dangerous depending on how it was processed.

  http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/food/how-to/a24118/raw-meat-safety/

  *** g 6/12 p. 5 2. Keep It Clean ***

  Separate raw meat.

  To prevent the spread of bacteria, seal or securely wrap all raw meat, poultry, and seafood, and separate them from other food. Use a separate cutting board and knife for those foods, or wash your cutting board and knife thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after raw meat or seafood touches it.
• 

  freemindfade

  Eating low grade raw hamburger is one thing, you are probably going to get some ecoli lol

  But I have eaten plenty of beef tartar and carpaccio in my time and rare rare fine dry and wet aged steaks with no issue. Maybe is the delicious whisky I was drinking with it, but honestly you can get ecoli from vegetables that are just not washed well enough. I have never in my life heard of anyone getting a bug from undercooked steak. You sear the outside you are good, hamburger and ground meat all the dirty bits are mixed inside.

  and blood who cares, I have eaten boudin noir on numerous occasions lol, I'm going to hell
• 

  cappytan

  A hamburger cooked to medium is really hard for me to pass up. I know it's living dangerously, but what's the worst that can happen in a first world country? I lose a few pounds because I get sick?

  Do you know how often I fantasize about getting a tape worm for a while so I can lose some weight?
• 

  neverendingjourney

  Blondie,

  I can confirm that eating beef under-cooked is frowned upon in Spanish speaking congregations in the southern United States. Beef is the particular target since the meat has a red color as opposed to, say, poultry or fish, and the myoglobin in the beef makes the fluid look a lot like blood. That's the limit of my direct experience.

  Am I aware of any official bans on eating steak rare? No. There exists a lot of confusion on the subject in my area and elders generally are cautious to issue official orders from the platform. However, much like my brother who was once an elder and prohibits his family from eating beef less than well-done, there are a lot of Witnesses who at least on an informal level believe it's improper to eat beef that retains a redish tint. Someone above posted a story about being the only one to order the steak less than well-done and getting a death stare from the other Witnesses.

  It's mostly due to ignorance and lack of clarity on the subject from the WT, I think. At least half of the elders in my area were immigrants and had less than the equivalent of a high school education. If you cut into the meat and fluids come out that look a lot like blood, you tell people you can't eat it. I think it's really as simple as that.
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  dyakoub

  Hey, neverending,

  I have actually had this discussion several times with my wife, mother, parent in-laws etc. I think it's quite important and exemplary of many of the issues of the Jehovah's Witnesses; it is a matter of straining the gnat and swallowing the camel. When it comes to meat, in order to observe the no-blood policies, animals would have to be slaughtered by incision on the neck and then bled. This, of course does not get rid of all the blood, but it is the first step to getting rid of most of it. Though, in theory JW's would agree that this is the correct manner of slaughtering because it is prescribed in the bible, most will not do anything to ensure that their food was slaughtered in such a way- buying kosher or halal, for example. This, to Jews and some very strict Christians would be a direct violation of eating "kosher" or "abstaining from blood".

  On the other hand JW's die from not accepting blood transfusions. This how it is an example of straining the gnat. - Blood transfusions are NOT a form of diversion, they are medical procedures that are usually done in life or death situations; and of course the Jewish law is abrogated under life or death situations. On the other hand, JW's violate abstaining from blood every time they eat meat, according to the Jewish laws- and it is very much the case that JW follow the Mosaic law or the Hebrew precepts as precedents for their "abstain from blood doctrine". The point is they can't be bothered to make sure their meat has been bled, but will die in order to not receive blood in a medical procedure.
• 

  neverendingjourney

  Dyakoub,

  It's all about following orders. If the WT came out and said eating blood was a good thing, my brother would drink a liter of it tomorrow. I would, too, were I still in.

  Sad but true.
• 

  StarTrekAngel

  Blondie, I am assuming here that you are asking me. Just in case, the answer is yes. I recalled a handful of talks and watchtower commentary from the WT study conductor. Like I said, is not a subject that comes up often. I've been a witness in a South Texas spanish congregation for over 10 years and I think I've only heard this twice or three times. However, the effects still remain. No one in my family will eat undercooked meat. I know where it comes from and while they don't openly say it, I know that is what it is. I often do my BBQs medium to medium rare. I can almost gamble with this and make money. If the inside of the steak is redish but no red juice comes out of it when you squeeze it, then they are fine with it. But if red juice is left behind on the plate or serving tray, then they ask me to put it back in the grill.
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  blondie

  There are still jws that will not eat anything with lecithin although commercial products almost never contain it. But years later it is still taboo for some, like aluminum pans, microwaves, and that eating all grape diet cures cancer.

  It is one of those rumors that live on, including walking/talking smurf dolls.
• 

  freemindfade

  A nice big bloody steak, a single malt scotch, and a cigar...

  jdubs don't know what hey are missing

  To me the rare steak vs well done has often boiled down to cultural, it has been my own personal experience (not based on any science) that my african american and african/african peeps tend to prefer things well done. In fact had taken a good friend (Trinidadian) to Peter Lugers, the Brooklyn bethel of steak if you will (church). We were having a good laugh at his expense. When they brought it out, the look on his face lol, and he asked if he could have some of it cooked more, the waiter (probably second generation Peter Lugers waiter) looked as if he had just punched one of his kids in the face in front of him. Good times we all had a good laugh. But again not any empirical data on that just my own consistent experience.
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  coalize

  I wonder if French JWs eat Steak tartare that is minced and completely uncooked and served with a raw egg on top?

  Oh yes! I can say that french, even JW,s are fond about steak tartare... And most of them, like almost all french like their meat (very) rare.. All of them always said "It's not blood, it's meat juice"
  
  And we eat a lot of living oyster, frog, shrimp and prawn. And without to bleed them of course!

  And I never ear a JW wonder if the fish they eat was bleed!
  
  In fact, they almost only check in black sausage and pork products...