do you wash your meat?

[mousymouse]

bit of a disagreement between me and my mother...

she says to wash meat before cooking for hygenic reasons (wtf, it will be cooked anyway)
I say don*t for hygenic reasons (splatters of meat juice all over the kitchen, nice)

am I right?

I don't know whether you're right but I agree with you for the reasons you've given.

I don't -you don't need to.

You're right about the hygiene/splattering

I don't, but MIL does. I wonder if it is a generational thing?

No, it increases the risk of spreading bacteria throughout the kitchen.

No. But my MIL used to when she cooked.

I think you're right. My Mum used to do this with chicken (I think her Mum had told her this was the right thing to do) until I pointed out all the salmonella splashes she was making .

No you are not supposed to do this. There was a kind of public awareness campaign before Christmas last year I remember, warning people not to wash their turkey because of the risk of splashing raw poultry juice around the kitchen.

Having recently passed my Food Hygeine course you are right - you do not need to wash meat (although I think it was the 'done thing' some time ago)

Washing = far more risk of cross contamination; unless of course you have seperate sinks for food and dishes, and even then, I would not fancy washing a salad after rinsing my chicken...

yes, the risk of bacteria spreading

This is generational thing.... my Dad always used to wash his chickens and joints.

Current advice is never to wash meat as adequate cooking would destroy any bugs on the surface of the meat. Washing meat risks spreading bugs around the kitchen. Bleugh.

Ha, thanks ladies.
it feels so good to be right for once

I will just keep on not washing meat before cooking then.

www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2009/dec/xmasturkey

My Auntie used to have a big plastic bowl for meat, fill it with cold water and some lemons and wash her meat in that, pour it down the drain outside!

I think it is generational, and as with most generations, they keep doing what they've always done, so let them get on with it.