Chicken: to wash or not to wash

[LoveWDW]

I like watching the Food Network, but from time to time I recognize that they give incorrect or outdated information. This morning the cook- it's a new show for me- she prepares several meals for the week ahead- said don't wash the chicken since it would just spread the germs.

This didn't seem right. I was sure I'd heard to wash chicken before cooking it. So I googled around and most directions I saw said to wash the chicken. Then I came upon one that said don't wash the chicken, since germs would splash around onto the sink and countertops.

Ooookaaay, I thought. Huh! I guess the chicken shouldn't be washed. I notice that one of my favorite cooking show stars, Rachel Ray, doesn't wash the chicken- she uses it right out of the package, and I had always wondered about that.

But then, I found another site that said don't wash the chicken to remove germs- it doesn't work, and besides it spreads the germs. However- the writer does rinse the chicken to get rid of debris that may have gotten on it during the cutting a packaging process.

This seems very sensible to me.

So I am back to washing the chicken- not for removing germs, but for removing debris.

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artchicken.html

 

[The Boogeyman]

Hmmm, me thinks worms are fine without washing, so why not chicken!

 

[HonestAbe]

I was going to say something about choking avoidance, but I would just go ahead and suggest cooking it. Forget about washing.

 

[Stacerita]

So I am back to washing the chicken- not for removing germs, but for removing debris.

 

[LeCras]

I have never washed a chicken in my life and have never had a food related illness. As long as you make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly any germs will be killed.

ETA: Oh and I don't eat the skin (never have), so any debris would go in the bin anyway.

Charlotte

 

[LoveWDW]

ETA: Oh and I don't eat the skin (never have), so any debris would go in the bin anyway.

Charlotte

True. Unless it washes down into the pan with the drippings, and even then it would be OK if the person didn't eat the drippings. I usually buy skinless pieces, though, so the tossing out the skin wouldn't work for me.

 

[crazelion]

Hmmm, me thinks worms are fine without washing, so why not chicken!

I love your pic Boonegyman. It's from WWE. I love wrestling.

 

[Free4Life11]

If I had chicken breasts or something, I usually just do a quick rinse. If I have a whole chicken, I usually rinse out the cavity and the oustide.

It doesn't get rid of germs, but I just like to rinse it off for some reason.

 

[Skylarr29]

I dont rinse and I agree that it can spread the germs into the sink and counter making it more likely to get you sick that way... sponges, rags etc.

 

[mtemm]

or you could wash your sink and countertops after rinsing the chicken. at least, that's what I do. and I use paper towels that go right in the trash.

 

[MAKmom]

If I had chicken breasts or something, I usually just do a quick rinse. If I have a whole chicken, I usually rinse out the cavity and the oustide.

It doesn't get rid of germs, but I just like to rinse it off for some reason.

I do the same thing.

 

[wdwmom2]

The only thing that I don't wash is boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Those I just rinse. Whole chickens I soak in salt water, clean out the inside(have you actually seen what you can get out ), and pull out any remaining pieces of feathers I may find. After this, I wipe my sink down with bleach.

 

[Beth76]

I've never once washed or rinsed chicken. Never even heard of it. I only use boneless, skinless breasts or tenders though.

 

[CajunDixie]

Ooookaaay, I thought. Huh! I guess the chicken shouldn't be washed. I notice that one of my favorite cooking show stars, Rachel Ray, doesn't wash the chicken- she uses it right out of the package, and I had always wondered about that

Actually, we don't know what Rachel does since she always preaches about prepping and cleaning food as soon as you bring it home from the store. And haven't you ever noticed the lack of original packaging on her show? You'll rarely see her clean anything because she's trying to get her meals done in 30 minutes. I have seen her clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and a dish towell. And I've seen her rinse some sort of produce, perhaps a lettuce, by soaking it and letting the sand sink to the bottom of the rinse water.
Personally, I rinse all poultry and look for leftover feathers if it's skin on chicken.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

I clean chicken in a bowl with salt and water. Gets rid of any yucky stuff.The the sink and counter gets cleaned with Clorox Clean up and the dishrag goes right into the hamper. So far we haven't had any cross contamination or chicken illness.I do the cleaning routine with any raw meat actually.

 

[LoveWDW]

Actually, we don't know what Rachel does since she always preaches about prepping and cleaning food as soon as you bring it home from the store. And haven't you ever noticed the lack of original packaging on her show? You'll rarely see her clean anything because she's trying to get her meals done in 30 minutes. I have seen her clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and a dish towell. And I've seen her rinse some sort of produce, perhaps a lettuce, by soaking it and letting the sand sink to the bottom of the rinse water.
Personally, I rinse all poultry and look for leftover feathers if it's skin on chicken.

I hope that she cleans the chicken, it just looks to me as if she is slitting open a store wrapped package. I hope it is actually that she has washed the chicken and placed it in clean store-type packaging and plastic wrapped it again. I'd like to think that the food that tv cooks make is actually consumed and not wasted, and it bothers me a little that the food they cook maybe isn't eaten.

Yeah I have noticed about the mushrooms and the lettuce/greens. I go through each leaf of lettuce under running water- too many years raising my own vegetables to trust that nothing is in there. And it is standard practise to wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel "since they'll absorb water"- but I have driven past mushroom farms and have a pretty good idea of what they grow in, so I quickly rinse mine and let them dry on a paper towel before using.

 

[LoveWDW]

My mother always soaks chicken in salt water.

Thank you everyone for the responses, they are pretty much what I have been doing. Especially the bleach and paper towel thing.