I have a cooking question-- do you rinse chicken before cooking? About This Page:

[Happymommy]

I just read that the USDA now recommends that you do not rinse chicken because of spreading the bacteria. My mom always told me to rinse chicken. I rarely cook chicken because (I don't know why)-- it just grosses me out, but I was thinking about making something with chicken tonight. Should I rinse or not-- now I'm confused. Thanks!!

[auntread]

i have always rinsed whole chickens (and turkeys) and things have always been fine!
do what you're used to doing and don't let them alarm you.

[Tinkerbelly]

I wonder how they determined that it spreads bacteria. My thought is, if you choose to rinse the chicken isn’t the bacteria going down the drain??? I say rinse that little bird!!!!!!!!!

[BostonTeaParty]

I'm another one who doesn't cook chicken all that often, and handling chicken always grosses me out too. I've always washed chicken and that was always part of the gross-me-out factor. I have to admit - I like the idea of just picking it up with my tongs and tossing it in the pan/grill/crockpot whatever.

I just did a quick search to find out what the deal is - and here is what I found out:

"Historically, we equate washing with cleanliness. Why then should raw meat and poultry not be rinsed? The reason lies in minimizing the spread of bacteria. Bacteria present on the surface of meat or poultry are easily destroyed by cooking, but bacteria spread to other surfaces and foods during the rinsing process may not receive the needed heat treatment. According to USDA's Meat and Poultry hotline, bacteria from the rinsed meat is easily spread to the sink, faucet, your hands, dish clothes, and anything you touch or that comes in contact with the raw meat.

Reasearch also suggests that rinsing is not an effective way to remove bacteria. Scientists at the University of Georgia found that rinsing inoculated chicken in water did not remove all contamination, even after 30 rinse treatments."

Hope this helps.

[SHEANA1226]

I always rinse chicken and I paper towels when cleaning the mess up so I don't have the bacteria on my dish towels.

[tio marco]

rinse, then clean sink

[crystalloubear]

I never rinse or even touch it. I just grab it with the tongs or other instrument and throw it (literally) into the pan.

[graygables]

It's a miracle I survived to adulthood with my mother's food-handling techniques The last time I was there, I even got up the nerve to finally comment on it, "You don't much buy into food-handling safety, do you?" Her response: "It hasn't killed us, has it?"

That said, I've never rinsed a chicken in my life and I cook it a LOT. Even when we have pork, DDs call it "chicken" I don't have any problem handling it (I skin pieces or rub on spices), but I never rinse it, it goes straight from the package into the pan, prepared, then my hands go straight to the sink with hot water and soap and paper towels.

[Happymommy]

Thanks everyone!!! I googled rinsing chicken, and found that the government is issuing new guidelines telling people not to rinse poultry. Perdue's website also said not to rinse. This actually makes it alot easier for me (I never make whole chickens, just pieces (breast) Because I hate rinsing it, and then I always spend so much time cleaning the sink after (ever since having kids I've become a bit of a germaphobe). Now that I can just put it into the oven or crockpot, actually makes it more appealing to me. Thanks everyone!!!!!!

[RobDVC]

I never rinse chicken, whole or parts, just put them in the pan/pot and then rinse my hands.

[BethC]

I have never rinsed them either. Throw them in the pan or on the grill.

[disneymom9092]

I always rinse and immediately wash out the sink with antibacterial soap or wipes.

[Momerath124]

I rinse my chicken before I cook it
The one thing is to wash all of your utensils you use to prepare the raw chicken like knives & cuttingboards because you can cross-contaminate stuff if you use the same utensils/surfacing as the raw chicken!

Example: You cut the raw chicken for stir fry or something and then use that same knife on the lettuce THAT's not good

I learned a lot about chicken working at KFC for 2yrs

[TiggerTails]

Wow.....glad you asked this question! You have just saved me alot of time, paper towels and soap. Thanks!

[loobyoxlip]

I have never rinsed chicken