Do you rinse chicken?

[caseydog]

MG wants new food threads, so here is one. It is not a throw-away, this is a legitimate question, IMO.

I keep hearing how I should never rinse fresh chicken. Supposedly it will spread deadly bacteria all over my house, and make me sick. But, I've been doing it for 20-plus years, and I've never got sick.

Now, I do it carefully. All the nasty stuff stays in the sink. I wash my sink with something containing chlorine bleach.

So, what do the rest of you think? Is it okay, or am I risking certain death?

CD

 

[Burt Blank]

Well in Europe I'm not a rinse r . not for contamination reasons. I like my birds dry so I can lubricate them with schmaltz. In America I do to remove any residual bleach they have been washed in. UK's chlorine-washed chicken ban 'to remain'

 

[MypinchofItaly]

I’ve never rinsed chicken because chicken I buy is always quite clean and very well packaged, so it looks (and is) perfect to cook without rinse it and I don’t see/feel any need to rinse it. If by any chance there is some blood, I only tap it with kitchen paper.

 

[Morning Glory]

Its highly dangerous to do so and against all health and safety advice. Its also pointless as rinsing in cold water is not going to somehow remove germs if that is what you are trying to do.

Whether it removes chlorine I'm not sure.

 

[CraigC]

I rinse fowl. Not because of contamination, but I find it easier to handle when rinsed and patted dry. It takes my rubs better. I've always done this.

 

[Herbie]

No. I was taught not to at school over 30 years ago, told my mum, and since then neither of us wash chicken.

 

[TastyReuben]

Nope, mainly because I'm too lazy, but then I read from (my favorite source) ATK a blurb that rinsing chicken is pretty useless, unless your goal is to get your chicken wet.

I just dry it with paper towels before I handle it and it seems to work fine.

 

[caseydog]

I rinse fowl. Not because of contamination, but I find it easier to handle when rinsed and patted dry. It takes my rubs better. I've always done this.

Same with me. I rinse and dry with paper towels. I find it easier to work with, and season, as you said. Mostly, I find it easier to work with.

I don't expect a rinse to kill any bacteria. That has nothing to do with why I rinse it.

MG, don't I get a "Like" for starting a new food thread?

CD

 

[ElizabethB]

I do rinse and pat dry just because - well just because that is what I learned. I would be OK with just wiping dry. I dry all of my proteins prior to seasoning.

 

[adventurousbaker]

I do, mainly out of habit and also there's sometimes bloody water or slimy residue left over when I defrost. I've been told it's bad, but all the bacteria only goes into the sink, and I never place any plates or kitchen utensils in the bottom of the sink.

 

[ElizabethB]

There are many "Rules" that I don't get.
- don't wash chicken
- don't wash mushrooms
- no cheese with seafood

 

[KitKat]

My Grandmother and mother washed any kind of chicken. Cold/warm water and then scrubbed it with salt. Rinse again and Pat dry. I only purchase chicken breasts. I will always rinse and pat dry. I do everything in the sink, line my counter with Glad wrap and paper towels and let them sit. Then pat dry, clean and slice if necessary. I then boil water and sterilize my sink, knife, cutting board, etc. The chicken is slimy in my opinion when taken out of the package, no matter how beautiful it looks.

 

[KitKat]

I don't get "don't wash mushrooms" either. Gross!

 

[ElizabethB]

I don't get "don't wash mushrooms" either. Gross!

Supposedly washing mushrooms causes them to absorb water. I am out of mushrooms but I will perform a very scientific experiment and prove that supposition wrong as soon as I get to the store.

 

[KitKat]

Yes, so I read. I wash them well and lay on paper towels to dry. After a few hours, I will turn them and wait for them to dry. My stuffed or sauteed mushrooms are very delicious.