Washing meat?

Question

I am doing the catering for my wedding and I made a blog on my facebook page about the list of food.

I stated that there will be fried chicken, I then put in brackets that it will be thoroughly washed.

A 'friend' came on to comment on the list and said 'I should not wash meat, its more prone to cross contamination, very unhygenic, take it from a vegetarian who knows best''

I am veggie too and always wash meat when I am preparing a mean for my partner. My mother washes meat as well before she cooks it and we have never had any problems!

What do you think of that?

The reason why I was meat is because there is still blood inside the meat, no one wants to eat cooked blood do they?

Do you wash you meat before you cook it?

Answer 1

washing meat before cooking is not recommended, however I can't understand how can a person prepare a chicken meal without washing the meat, all meat should be thoroughly washed  before cooking, especially as you are catering for so many people, it is good hygiene practice do you know how many hands had touch that chicken before it reach your kitchen, it is similar to eating some fruit  and vegetables without washing it first,

Answer 2

wash the chicken in running water. to avoid cross contamination, do not re use container  that was used to hold the chicken until said container is thouroughly washed.

your vegetarian meat expert friend is being over dramatic about it

Answer 3

Why are you asking this here?

Answer 4

This probably isn't the best place to be asking this question. A bit like asking what the best way to pray is in an Atheist's forum.

The only reason I'd find to need to wash meat is to have a bath or if my pets got muddy and needed a shower.

Answer 5

I wash all my meat except if its ground obviously....... THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE HANDLED THAT MEAT BY THE TIME IT GOT TO YOU??? YUCK!!!

Answer 6

From a hygiene point of view, it's not a good idea to wash meat especially chicken. When you wash the meat you spray little particles all over the area you are using. This could cause e coli and salmonella to settle on surfaces or worse again other food stuffs.

Answer 7

I rinse and pat dry some things, but not all. Veges too, unless they come from my garden.

Answer 8

Ok, it was a bit different to state that the meat will be thoroughly washed. It is a general rule that when you are feeding people you will properly prepare it so as not to make them ill. It does not need to be stated, and meat eaters won't likely consider whether it is washed or not.

Yes, essentially we eat cooked blood, but refer to it as "natural juices".

My original answer stated that you should wash meat, but I was wrong. You are not supposed to wash meat. I looked it up. Seems kind of gross to me, but what do I know?

This woman just sounds like a busy body, and I would ignore her. Is she a friend outside of myspace? Is she an otherwise good friend? Maybe agree to disagree.

Answer 9

The reason that you should not wash meat is that any bacteria is killed on cooking, and by washing it you, tiny droplets of water contaminate the sink, taps, your hands and anything else that it comes into contact with.  By washing you are actually spreading the bacteria that comes from meat chickens in particular contain a number of harmful bacteria that can give you an upset stomach, however as long as the meat is cooked there is no chance that any bacteria will be left.

Answer 10

I've always washed my meats before cooking !As you stated the cooked blood on meat(chicken) is nasty.The only thing I don't get is why you would list the fact of washing it first.

Answer 11

I wash all meat/poultry with lemon juice and water.  A lot of west indians do.  People need to have respect for meat because if not handled properly can cause all sorts of gastrointestinal problems.  People wash vegetables so why the h**l wouldn't they wash meat???

Carry on washing your meat.  I'm sure you haven't harmed anyone because of this.

Answer 12

The problem with washing meat is that it can alter the temperature of the meat, which can cause germs to breed faster.

Also any splashes can contaminate the surrounding surfaces, taps, sink etc.

I dont tend to wash meat as the juices disappear when cooking. If the meat is wet then i will dab it with some disposable kitchen paper.

Answer 13

Ok, everyone step back and take a deep breath.  It doesn't matter either way whether you wash meat first.  It's completely acceptable to give it a quick rinse before you cook it.  I rinse chicken and fish before I cook it.  But, don't worry about cooking excess blood.  There's plenty more in the meat already that you'll be eating.  That's what makes red meat red--lots of hemoglobin from red blood cells in the muscle.  Anyway, rinse it if you want to.  For all of you who don't want to rinse it because you think you're contaminating everything, then just don't rinse it.  Although, we'd all be so much healthier if we'd expose ourselves to more microbes every once in a while instead of harsh desanitizers.  Ever wonder why so many kids have asthma and allergies these days?  It's because we replace everything natural with harsh chemicals.  Ok, rant over.  My point is--wash it or don't wash it.  It's not going to matter in the grand scheme of things.

Answer 14

Washing meat can cause the meat to lose its flavor and juice.  If you are cooking the meat and vegetables separately you should be able to avoid cross contamination with careful washing as you have stated.  When you cook the meat the juices(blood) will come out.  On the other hand when you wash the meat and remove these juices you are taking away the moisture.  This makes the meat more dry and less flavorful.  Hope this helps.=)

Answer 15

Chicken should definately be washed.