Does chicken need to be rinsed before cooking?
I've noticed that lots of chicken recipes begin with the instruction to first rinse the chicken and then pat dry. But I don't see the reason for either. Surely, if there are germs on the surface, they'll all be killed and the meat sanitized by the high cooking temperatures. And what would be the reason to "pat dry"? Surely any water on the surface would quickly evaporate. I'd appreciate your opinions about this.
Answers:
Don't rinse it. Someone asked this same question in a Good Housekeeping magazine recently, and the answer then was to not rinse the chicken. The reason for this is that any salmonella bacteria on the chicken would be in your sink, and there would be a greater chance of cross-contamination with other kitchen products.
If you cook the chicken properly, you will destroy all the bacteria. Be sure to wash hour hands well, and thoroughly clean everything that may have come in contact with the chicken.
The reason for patting any meat dry is simple. If it has a dry surface, it will bake or fry properly. If the surface is wet, it will steam.
Other Answers:
soak your chicken in vinegar and the wash it off really good.
I usually rinse it, but I don't necessarily pat it dry every time
i wash my chicken because oh all the diseases they carry and make sure it is cooked all the way but i dont pat dry
There are some bacteria in raw meats that are transfered through contact and it's generally a good idea to keep the prep areas clean - that is why rinsing is suggested - to prevent cross contamination through the prep surface and from your hands to uncooked items.
Yes.
Most food should be washed, I always wash my chicken, although I don't always pat it dry. The way the chicken is handled at the factory may not always be as clean as I would want it to be. It's better to be safe, especially when bacteria can grow in the open and it does take a few minutes to prepare.
Suppose the butcher that handled the chicken did not wash his hands after he used the bathroom???? Enough on that. If you are using chicken on the bone and you soak it in salted water for 30 minutes before cooking, it will draw out all the red. wash off the salt and the chicken will rinse clear. When you cook the chicken fully the will be only clear running juice from the bird. Many times the thermometer will tell you the chicken is cooked just to have that nasty red oozing out. The salt washing out the blood also create less of an opportunity for bacteria growth.
My Mother washes everything before cooking so YEAH... Just in case they didn't, I would.
i rinse all my meat before cooking,,, just safer that way,,, patting the chicken dry is just being nice to the chicken ,,
EWWWWW!
You'll never have to worry about me eating anything out of your kitchen!
Surely any sane person would want to wash a dirty-assed chicken BEFORE cooking it!
More Questions & Answers...