Do you wash chicken?

[beebee25]

I have a friend who was horrified when a foreign visitor washed chicken and spread chicken juice everywhere. I don't wash chicken but back in the 80s I did as that seemed to be the thing to do. Do you wash your chicken?

Is it because traditionally food hygiene practices weren't/aren't as strict in those countries as they are here?

No it's because people actually raised and slaughtered their own meat off of the land where they live so you are literally removing debris from the killing and skinning/plucking process.

@RampantIvy

Honestly im not sure. Partly from what @GlovedhandsCecilia has said, perhaps the other from it being hotter and meat turning quicker?

Its not just to "wash" the meat, I dont think many people really think its washes off bacteria. It adds flavour and you can also check for bits of gristle or bone that has been missed.

In terms of food standards. Yes they are better but not washing meat stemmed from modern intensive farming/slaughtering practices, so the meat is now exposed to more bacteria than ever before (not 100% sure about this though).

Genuine question- what bits?

I never said I washed mince, only chicken.
Personal preference- each to their own!

For anyone genuinely interested, I found this video which I haven't watched fully, but a quick glance (on the bus) made it seem like the best I could find in a hurry.

It's long, but probably worth watching in its entirety if you plan to criticise it.

I put uabu because of the cultural difference. I would never wash chicken my partner is not English and does. Each to their own. I have not been ill.

Used to but now just wipe with kitchen paper.

You’re definitely not supposed to wash chicken.

Well yes in that context meat should be washed. I used to skin rabbits and pluck pheasants that my father had shot and we washed those very thoroughly. But I wouldn't wash commercial chicken meat bought in the UK for the reasons already mentioned.

The irony of people washing chicken/meat thinking it’s more hygienic, I get some people say it’s a cultural thing but it’s dangerous.

I have that gif of Don Draper in my head with his ‘that’s what the money is for’ but replace money with cooking.

We learned to cook through being taught by people who killed their own meat. That lifestyle isnt several generations removed for us. If we go "back home" to visit family, people will be killing animals for food in our family homes. When we buy meat, there, we are buying it from the person who killed it. That's why we "still" wash our meat. Even when we are here.

If it is equally dangerous for everyone, why are we not always sick?

That is possibly even worse though. Chicken in the UK probably carries less risk of salmonella. If you wash contaminated meat your more likely to spread germs and considering Chicken should be cooked throughly before eating anyway, its probably worse to wash it in areas that Chicken is more likely to be contaminated to start with.

@GlovedhandsCeciliaLuck I guess? I was recently cutting raw chicken, cut my finger and my first instinct was to put my finger in my mouth, I was disgusted with myself but luckily didn’t contract salmonella, campylobacter etc.!

Exactly this! Everyone that has said they wash chicken haven’t said they’ve been ill from it.
The question was asked - do you wash chicken? It’s either a yes or no. No debate needed really!

It isnt luck..it's more likely acquired immunity.

No, that would be idiotic

You do know you can wash the area down when you have finished washing the meat.
I don’t do it, growing up my mother always washed the Sunday meat before cooking, as did her mother, no one died from it, mind you we’d also leave it on the counter for sandwiches throughout the day. Still alive. 🍗