# Living on noodles, pork and onions, what else do I need? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307 "2026-06-30T19:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/41 "2026-07-01T16:24:19Z")
> [@fedman1](#): > > pardon me, but how do you cut up onions with chopsticks? The root end of the onion is cut off. When you squeeze the onion it separates into layers. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/42 "2026-07-01T16:27:44Z")
I guess the word “cut” threw me off ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/43 "2026-07-01T16:44:56Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > > [@solost](#): > > > > Trichinosis is almost unheard of these days in modern commercial pork products. > > > > Not that it’s a good idea to eat raw or undercooked meat in general, but the FDA reduced the recommended center temp for cooked pork from 165F to 145F years ago. > > And, just like with beef and chicken, overcooking pork dries it out and tends to make it tough and tasteless. While trichinosis has drastically declined in the U.S. (about 15 confirmed cases per year, some from consuming undercooked wild game (probably a lot more mild cases that are never categorized)), the real risk these days from eating raw or undercooked pork is from other pathogens, like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica. A _lot_ of people still get sick from eating pork products. > **[Outbreaks attributed to pork in the United States, 1998–2015](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6739826/)** > > Each year in the United States, an estimated 525 000 infections, 2900 hospitalizations, and 82 deaths are attributed to consumption of pork. We analyzed the epidemiology of outbreaks attributed to pork in the United States reported to the Centers ... So enjoy your medium rare pork chops and pork tartare. I’ll pass. \*The story of the Schlactfest in Berton Rouech’s _A Pig From Jersey_ (summary: members of a German-American society prepare sausage made from meat of a Trichinella-infected pig, sampling the meat during early stages of the cooking process to determine proper spicing, bad times ensue) made a vivid impression on me, so our pork is always well-cooked. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/44 "2026-07-01T16:51:27Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > So enjoy your medium rare pork chops and pork tartare. I’ll pass. Pffft, nobody’s talking about pork tartare being a good idea. But the first time I grilled a pork tenderloin to an internal temp of 145F instead of 165, it was a delicious, juicy game changer. Rivaling beef tenderloin at a fraction of the price. And still perfectly safe since the pathogens you mentioned are dead at 140F and higher. Medium, yes. Well done? Hells to the no. Now, if we’re talking wild boar, then for sure, I’m cooking low and slow, BBQ style, till I get that temp up to like 200. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/45 "2026-07-01T16:54:52Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Pffft, nobody’s talking about pork tartare being a good idea. [Nobody?](https://www.porkmeattastyandhealthy.com/blog/pork-tenderloin-steak-tartare) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/46 "2026-07-01T16:59:34Z")
Well, OK, nobody sane. And I did say this in my original post you’re quoting: > [@solost](#): > > Not that it’s a good idea to eat raw or undercooked meat in general But that said, I do love sushi, and I’ve been known to get the occasional beef carpaccio appetizer, which is basically lightly seared beef tartare. It’s all about taking reasonable risks. If you want to cook your pork chops to shoe leather, that’s your business. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/47 "2026-07-01T17:20:10Z")
I ran across [this recipe for pork tartare](https://www.cesarnieto.com/en/the-best-pork-tenderloin-tartar-recipe/), which suggests that freezing the raw meat for 48 hours will kill all pathogens. Nope! Yersinia enterocolitica for instance survives for many weeks at freezer temperatures. That pork tartare recipe article says that “pork tenderloin tartare is an exquisite and daring alternative for those who want to experience something different from the classic beef or fish tartares.” 😆 Being “daring” in food consumption is something I’ll leave to thrill seekers. BTW, a good cut of pork chops prepared medium well or well done is succulent and tasty, and in no way “shoe leather”. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/48 "2026-07-01T17:25:11Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > While trichinosis has drastically declined in the U.S. (about 15 confirmed cases per year, some from consuming undercooked wild game (probably a lot more mild cases that are never categorized)), the real risk these days from eating raw or undercooked pork is from other pathogens, like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica. Those are mostly surface pathogens, though, so you only need to cook the outside to kill them. What made trich more dangerous was that it was within the depths of the meat, so you had to cook it clear through to a high enough temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/49 "2026-07-01T18:02:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Those are mostly surface pathogens, though, so you only need to cook the outside to kill them. Why would you think that bacterial contamination is confined to the surface of pork products? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/50 "2026-07-01T18:10:47Z")
Because they get on from the outside. They have no way of getting into the interior. At least, not for solid cuts: As with beef, you have to be more careful with chopped or shredded meat. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/51 "2026-07-01T18:34:48Z")
> [@Steven\_Maven](#): > > Cooking pork also destroys **trichinosis** , so it’s worth the trade off. In America, the USDA says you no longer need to worry about trichinosis in farm raised pork. Only wild boar and bear. And you would have to eat a lot of cooked onions to get the vitamins and fiber you need. But if the OP is living on this, looks like no serious problems. Mind you a multi-vite once in a while wouldnt be a bad idea for this diet. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/52 "2026-07-02T02:36:12Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > So enjoy your medium rare pork chops and pork tartare. I’ll pass. I don’t cook pork chops medium rare. I don’t even like to see any sign of pink in them. But there’s a sweet spot where they’re cooked through but still tender and juicy, and that’s what I aim for. Scary diseases aside, there really is such a thing as overdone pork. As for pork tartare, no thanks. I don’t even like beef tartare. I’ve had it, and it’s nicely spiced and tasty, but I couldn’t help thinking it would be so much better if made into a burger patty and grilled. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/53 "2026-07-02T02:49:40Z")
They have a raw chopped meat they serve in Germany that i absolutely love. I think it’s beef based, and it’s not heavily seasoned, but it is seasoned. I’ve had it a couple times, and i have no idea how safe it is, but it’s _soooo_ delicious. I like pork much more since learning that it doesn’t have to be cooked well done. I still don’t trust it as much as i trust beef, though. > [@mixdenny](#): > > She makes the broth from pork belly and whole onions plus soy sauce. Simple but very flavorful. The onions are in your bowl and can easily be cut up with chopsticks and spoon into chunks. That sounds absolutely delicious, though. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/54 "2026-07-02T06:11:59Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > i have no idea how safe it is, but it’s _soooo_ delicious. Circa 1999, when I was breast-feeding a small infant and living in post-war Mozambique, there was one elegant restaurant in all of the capital Maputo, located in what had been the Vietnamese Embassy in more complacent times. The French-influenced food was exquisite, and steak tartare was one of the menu items. I’m a bit horrified to admit, even after all these years, that I ate steak tartare there on several occasions. Later, I read a book on anthrax. Which mentioned that it was very prevalent throughout Africa, and that _Bacillus anthracis_, the spore that causes anthrax, is extremely hardy, and can live for years, maybe even decades, in wood flooring slats and all kinds of random places where cows might have been. Jeez, I was an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/55 "2026-07-02T10:17:46Z")
I’m having trouble finding a reference, but I don’t think that’s a common way to catch anthrax. I don’t think it’s safe to eat an animal that died of anthrax even if you cook it. The people usually at risk are those who find and handle the dead or sick animal, so much so that it used to be called “woolsorters disease”, because that’s who caught it, the people who handled wool and hides. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/56 "2026-07-02T10:54:02Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > They have a raw chopped meat they serve in Germany that i absolutely love. I think it’s beef based, and it’s not heavily seasoned, but it is seasoned. I’ve had it a couple times, and i have no idea how safe it is Right, that stuff: [Mett - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mett) There is a link there to a bunch of health regulations: not more than 35% fat, has to be sold on the day of production, etc. It’s a 70-page pdf. [https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/tier-lmhv/index.html](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/tier-lmhv/index.html) [https://cdn.website-editor.net/5f617c975b0c4126a9274d71f43f730b/files/uploaded/Fleisch%2520und%2520Fleischerzeugnisse.pdf](https://cdn.website-editor.net/5f617c975b0c4126a9274d71f43f730b/files/uploaded/Fleisch%2520und%2520Fleischerzeugnisse.pdf) Theoretical risks are trichinella and toxoplasmosis— not sure what the infection rate is in practice, but apparently it is considered safe to eat. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/57 "2026-07-02T13:17:41Z")
I became interested enough in the discussion of raw and undercooked food, and food safety in general, that I started a ^new thread^ on the matter. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/58 "2026-07-02T13:54:06Z")
This thread inspired me to cook a nice pork loin for dinner. I accidently cooked it to 179 degrees but it still came out tender and juicy. I ate half of it and tonight I’m going to put a couple slices in my ramen along with some chili crisp. Maybe even some diced raw onion sprinkled on it. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/59 "2026-07-02T15:05:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Because they get on from the outside. They have no way of getting into the interior. At least, not for solid cuts: As with beef, you have to be more careful with chopped or shredded meat. It depends on how solid cuts are processed/handled, and whether contaminant bacteria have proteolytic enzymes that permit bacterial penetration of muscle fibers. We’ve know for a long time that it’s risky to assume that bacteria are confined to the external surface of meat. > **[Penetration of bacteria into meat](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC170872/)** > > Bacteria are confined to the surface of meat during the logarithmic phase of growth. When proteolytic bacteria approach their maximum cell density, extracellular proteases secreted by the bacteria apparently break down the connective tissue between... > **[Meat | Food Safety | College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources |...](https://foodsafety.uconn.edu/meat/)** > > FOOD SAFETY AND MEAT For the most part, all raw and cooked meats, including pork, lamb, beef and game meats, are able to support the growth of the pathogens ... ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307/60 "2026-07-02T17:58:27Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > This thread inspired me to cook a nice pork loin for dinner. I accidently cooked it to 179 degrees but it still came out tender and juicy. I ate half of it and tonight I’m going to put a couple slices in my ramen I like the marinated Smithfield pork loins, they are very tender. And thinly sliced in noodles is a great combination. I had one with udon noodles last week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/living-on-noodles-pork-and-onions-what-else-do-i-need/1031307.md?page=4)