Specialty beef with ants

Raw beef with ants is a unique dish of the San Diu ethnic group in Tam Dao district, but it is rarely prepared by people in their daily meals because it is quite complicated and time-consuming. Some restaurants and hotels in the area have added this dish to their menus, contributing to the richness of Vinh Phuc cuisine. In 2022, the Vietnam Record Organization - Vietnam Record Association recognized Vinh Phuc's raw beef with ants as one of the Top 100 Vietnamese specialties.

The ingredients to prepare the ant-bitten beef dish are carefully selected, and beef raised with growth-promoting feed is not used. This is the key factor to create a quality dish and ensure freshness.

The beef slices are prepared 1 - 2 cm thick, marinated with some special spices before being sun-dried.

After sun drying, the surface of the meat tightens.

The best way to eat beef with ants is to grill it over hot coals.

The rare meat is pink and thinly sliced.

The ant-bitten beef dish is served with ant salt (a type of salt made from yellow ants in the forest) creating a rich aroma and unique flavor for the dish.

Raw beef with ants is a dish chosen by many tourists when coming to Tam Dao, because this is a strange dish with a characteristic sweet and aromatic taste.

Thien Cam Restaurant, Hop Chau Town (Tam Dao) has processed and packaged the ant-bitten beef dish to serve customers' needs and as a tourist gift.

Anyone who has ever eaten raw beef with ants will forever remember the unique flavor of this specialty.

Photo series of Kim Ly

Source: https://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/120668/Dac-san-bo-tai-kien-dot