However, washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.
Fresh or thawed pork does not require rinsing before it is cooked because any bacteria on the surface of the meat will be destroyed during the cooking process. Chops and steaks sometimes benefit from being briefly rinsed in cold water to rinse away bone grindings that may occur when the chops and steaks are cut apart.
We'll cut to the chase: Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen director Lynn Blanchard says, “we do not recommend rinsing ground beef after cooking it. When you do so, you rinse off all of the flavor,” which is imparted by the rendered fat that you'd be washing away.
Consumers should rinse their fresh fruits and vegetables with cold water, but not raw poultry, meat or eggs, according to the experts. For decades, the Department of Agriculture has been advising against washing raw poultry and meat.
"Some people think they are supposed to wash their meats and chicken before cooking. I recommend not washing them because that puts you at risk for spreading the bacteria around your kitchen and around yourself," Hill says.
Don't rinse meat before cooking.
Many people believe you should wash or rinse raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking, but it's actually not necessary. Any bacteria that might be on it will be killed during the cooking process.
Does washing raw meat make it safer? According to the USDA, it's not recommended to wash any raw meat before cooking. Not only does it not remove all bacteria, it also causes the bacteria on the meat to get on the sink or other surfaces that get splashed in the process of washing.
After the meat has been prepared, wash down all the surfaces with hot, soapy water and a clean rag. Use a different cutting board to chop or cut remaining ingredients. Create a cleaning solution by adding one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.
Failure to clean and sanitize these contaminated areas can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking to the right temperature (whether frying, baking, broiling, boiling or grilling) kills germs on meat and poultry, so washing these products is risky and not necessary for safety.
Ask a few professional chefs, “Should you wash raw chicken?” and you'll get very different answers depending on who you ask. In general, though, chefs in the U.S. and Europe rarely wash chicken before cooking it for both flavor and safety reasons.
Some believe there is a need to wash faeces and other matter off the chicken meat. In fact, modern processing techniques mean chicken carcasses do not need additional cleaning. Others believe washing with a slightly acidic solution (such as vinegar or lemon juice) will kill bacteria.
It is not necessary to wash meat before freezing it. Doing this could increase the risk of cross-contamination in the same way as it would before cooking. Once the meat has defrosted again, cooking it will kill all of the bacteria anyway. People can freeze any meat.
Myth: Washing or rinsing raw chicken or turkey before cooking removes harmful bacteria. Fact: Thoroughly cooking chicken and turkey to 165°F is the best way to kill harmful bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella.
As mentioned, washing any kind of meat does not only negatively affect the flavor of meat, but it also increases the risk of cross-contamination in a kitchen. Rinsing in some food businesses may be done as part of a preparation process for marination or other treatments.
To avoid cross contamination and food poisoning, cooking meat properly is the best way to ensure it's safe to eat. “Finally, a chef's note – the quality and taste can decrease after washing red meat.
Soaking meat in a highly seasoned brine is one thing (and is mostly all about adding flavor), but there are some who like soaking poultry, pork, and beef in salted or plain water for various other reasons. “This is a personal preference and serves no purpose for food safety,” the USDA says.
Washing or rinsing chicken increases risk.
Salmonella, Campylobacter and other harmful bacteria live on raw chicken. Washing or rinsing doesn't remove this risk, it worsens it by helping the bacteria spread. When you add water through washing or rinsing, you give these bacteria a way to travel throughout your kitchen.
USDA recommends against TikTok trend of washing ground beef. Food safety experts say washing beef can spread bacteria, and that only cooking it to a safe internal temperature is needed.
This helps to get rid of any dirt or bacteria that might be on them, which can help keep us healthy. Of course, washing our food isn't the only thing we do to ensure it's safe to eat. We also make sure to cook our meat properly to kill any bacteria that might be present.
... to soak meat in plain water for an hour or so for the cleanest possible consumption, even if the meat was purchased fresh directly from a butcher. (If the butcher and his workers are not OCD about hand washing, their product may be fresh, but probably not very clean.)