# Do You Wash Your Chicken?



## mr drinky (Aug 23, 2013)

I saw this article from NPR about how it is better to not wash your chicken before handling/cooking it. What's your take? 

I must admit that I have questioned this step for years but still do it. I first clear everything out of the splatter path of the water and once done, I cleanse the whole area thoroughly. I always assumed that there was something related to the packaging that I was washing off that necessitated the ridiculous step of splattering raw chicken all over the place during food prep.

Anyhow, just wondering. 

k. 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/08/23/213578553/julia-child-was-wrong-don-t-wash-your-raw-chicken-folks


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## Mucho Bocho (Aug 23, 2013)

Great Article Drinky. I'm not sold on that premise however. To some extent, you could use that arguement against hand-washing? I'm not buying it and will continute to reduce the bioload of my poultry by rinsing or running through my Vacuum Tubmler.


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## Korin_Mari (Aug 23, 2013)

I learned to wash chicken and most meats after rooming with a med student in college. She was a little germaphobic. I admit this industry has made me a little germaphobic too.


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## berko (Aug 23, 2013)

i dont wash it but i disinfect the board afterwards.


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## apicius9 (Aug 23, 2013)

I always get a little disgusted when I see packaged chicken pieces sitting in some questionable liquid in their plastic thingie, so I always wash my chicken. However, more importantly, I have given up buying disgusting industrially packaged chicken... Not sure if the pieces at Wholefoods have been sitting in the same kind of stuff but they clearly look better. I wish I had a local provider who raises his own fowl, though. 

Stefan


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## Mucho Bocho (Aug 23, 2013)

apicius9 said:


> I always get a little disgusted when I see packaged chicken pieces sitting in some questionable liquid in their plastic thingie, so I always wash my chicken. However, more importantly, I have given up buying disgusting industrially packaged chicken... Not sure if the pieces at Wholefoods have been sitting in the same kind of stuff but they clearly look better. I wish I had a local provider who raises his own fowl, though.
> 
> Stefan



+1


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## tripleq (Aug 23, 2013)

I buy all my meat from a local organic farm. No concentrated feed lots, no animals confined to living in their own filth, no unskilled labor processing the meat. Problem solved.


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## Baby Huey (Aug 23, 2013)

Yes. For multiple reasons.


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## NO ChoP! (Aug 23, 2013)

I just pat it very dry....


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## Justin0505 (Aug 23, 2013)

Depends on the chicken. I'm not worried about germs on the chicken as proper cooking will kill them all anyway.
For me, it's about the level of slime and the presence of blood clots or bits of organ or other gunk. A really wet, slimey chicken is much harder to handle, not to mention break down or de-bone. I usually like to leave the skin on, and I find that the slime makes it want to bunch up or slide off more. 
Also, if a chicken is packaged with those absorbent pads, the also seem to leak a kinda goopy gel. 

So, if I'm getting pasti-wrapped chicken, I usually rinse and then dry. 
When I get fresh whole, chickens out of the butcher case and wrapped in paper, they tend to be pretty dry / slime free on the outside and require just a quick pat-down with a paper towel.


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## mr drinky (Aug 23, 2013)

tripleq said:


> I buy all my meat from a local organic farm. No concentrated feed lots, no animals confined to living in their own filth, no unskilled labor processing the meat. Problem solved.





Justin0505 said:


> ...When I get fresh whole, chickens out of the butcher case and wrapped in paper, they tend to be pretty dry/slime free on the outside and require just a quick pat-down with a paper towel.



Ahh, to live in a place with those options  But I agree about getting the slime off, and I do like getting a 'feel' for the chicken and giving it a once over before patting it dry. If I had the option I would get the fresh stuff. 

k.


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## Justin0505 (Aug 23, 2013)

Yeah I actually just open those little, wet, plastic chicken sacks right in the sink. 
The wedge in uptown has the best price and quality whole fresh I've found so far. 

You live in the country... it seems like there should be SOMEONE with fresh chickens, or at least some just running around that you could catch. 


So when are you moving to The Cities again?


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## mr drinky (Aug 23, 2013)

Justin0505 said:


> So when are you moving to The Cities again?



Late Feb to early March. 

k.


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## mpukas (Aug 23, 2013)

That article makes a good point, but they take it in the direction of hysteria, hype and controversy just for a story. Instead, they could have said something along the lines "when washing chicken, be careful not to... watch out for... clean adjacent affected areas thoroughly with... ". 

I'm with you guys who only have access to plasti-wrapped chicken-in-a-bag. No matter how fresh it is, it's always got some of it's own liquid leaking out of it, basting in it, and that is not only gross but a great environment for non-friendly bacteria. I have deep single bowl sink, and open the bags in the bottom of the empty sink, rinse with plenty of cold running water, place on a 1/2 sheet pan lined w/ lots of paper towels, wipe dry with more paper towels, and then scrub down the empty sink with hot running water and soap, as well as adjacent counter surfaces if they have gotten wet. I'm usually pretty good and don't splatter.


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## mpukas (Aug 23, 2013)

While we're on the subject of chicken, are you guys familiar with air-chilled vs water-chilled? 

The bottom line is after chickens are slaughtered, the carcasses have to be chilled as quickly as possible. There are two methods - water bath and a series of chill chambers. Water is easier as it's apparently easier to keep it at consistent temp through circulation, and it's quicker. But water poses the same problem we're talking about here - bacteria growth. So the water bath is treated with something to ward off The Nasties. And while we're at it, we're essentially bringing a freshly off'ed chickens, so let's add some salt and Natural Flavors to mix. 

(btw - Natural Flavors are not natural - they're still chemically derived flavor compound that mimic naturally occurring flavors). 

So if you buy organic chickens that are not air-chilled, you bird has been sitting in a bath of anti-biotics, salt, flavorings, and other leakages from other deceased birds. 

Only air-chilled chickens will say as such on the labeling. Water-chilled birds won't say water-chilled, but say something like "up to 5% solution added" - that's where the "solution" comes from - water-chilling. all that said, it doesn't mean that there aren't good quality water-chilled chickens. I get air-chilled when I can, but sometimes I have to settle for water chilled. Air-chilled are ALWAYS far superior in my experiences. 

This is what I've learned so far, and if anyone knows more/differently, please correct me. Thanks. mpp


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## Mrmnms (Aug 23, 2013)

I get the impression the article suggests the danger of spreading bacteria is from splashing while washing. If I wash chicken, I submerge it in a pot of cold water in an empty sink, gently swirl the water and carefully drain and dry. Less splashing. Pretty much the way I deal with brined birds too.


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## Lucretia (Aug 23, 2013)

I've been getting the air chilled chicken for a while. Our store stopped carrying it for a while, but they've started again, and it's the only kind I buy. It's pricey, but the brand I've been using tastes a lot better than the "store brand". They whole birds are nicer looking with better skin, and the pieces have been good, too. They seem to do a better job of cleaning it, too, so there's less work getting rid of gnarly hunks left behind. I just need them to start carrying the ground chicken from the air-chilled company. No extra seasoning or liquids.

Haven't been washing it much lately since I saw a recommendation against it--with this chicken there hasn't seemed to be as much of a need. You don't end up with the pool of slime in the package.


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## EdipisReks (Aug 23, 2013)

I usually don't, unless the chicken is funky. After going to air-chilled chickens for roasting, I don't bother anymore.


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Aug 24, 2013)

i do not wash my chicken anymore.


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## cookinstuff (Aug 24, 2013)

I had a friend who worked at a chicken processing plant, he told me some scary stories. I wash my chicken, I don't know what has happened to that thing before it entered my posession. Also, when you wash and get it nice and dry, instead of just patting the slime/blood off, you can get a much better cook on it. Hell, we rinse all of the carcasses we use for stocks. I wash seafood, vegetables, fruit, grains, poultry, but I have never washed a piece of meat that wasn't chicken.


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## ecchef (Aug 24, 2013)

I'll wash store bought chickens when the are the only thing available. I don't wash local or kosher chickens.


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## maxim (Aug 24, 2013)

i also moved away from industrial store chickens and now dont wash them, but before when i was eating those ugly chickens i did wash them as packaging smelled weird


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## Von blewitt (Aug 24, 2013)

I do.... Her name is Henrietta 





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## Mrmnms (Aug 24, 2013)

Good lookin' gal there VB!


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## heirkb (Aug 24, 2013)

tripleq said:


> I buy all my meat from a local organic farm. No concentrated feed lots, no animals confined to living in their own filth, no unskilled labor processing the meat. Problem solved.



+1. I eat less of it than I used to and do this. Never feel a need to wash unless it smells a little off. I also like to keep the skin as dry as possible anyway.


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## mkriggen (Aug 24, 2013)

Von blewitt said:


> I do.... Her name is Henrietta
> 
> 
> 
> ...






:ubersexy:


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## Sam Cro (Aug 25, 2013)

I raise my own Chickens when killing time comes around here on my farm they are killed (wring there necks) plucked cut up or whole and then put up for another day ,winter, or as needed let me tell you there is Not all that slime in mine . I have Not bought a store bought chicken or parts there of in many years or eggs either . as to washing they do get a dip on cold water patted dry and then prepaired for what ever to the menu is planned .

Sam


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## boomchakabowwow (Aug 25, 2013)

^^^so you choke the chicken first 

sorry, i couldnt resist..

i rinse the bird first, and pat it dry. i typically wipe the entire place down afterwards anyways.


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## Sam Cro (Aug 25, 2013)

Look it up  is a type of killing of a Yard bird .

Good day 

Sam


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## EdipisReks (Aug 25, 2013)

I am roasting a chicken right now, and the air-chilled "smart" chicken I used had no slime, and just a little bit of liquid released. Perfect pluck, too, as always.


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## Korin_Mari (Aug 26, 2013)

I just read this article. Oh no... 

""There's no reason, from a scientific point of view, to think you're making it any safer," she says, "and in fact, you're making it less safe."

That's because washing increases the chances that you'll spread the foodborne pathogens that are almost certainly on your bird all over the rest of your kitchen too, food safety experts say. We're talking nasty stuff like salmonella and Campylobacter, which together are estimated to cause nearly 1.9 million cases of foodborne illness in the U.S. each year.

Some studies suggest bacteria can fly up to 3 feet away from where your meat is rinsed  though you can't necessarily see it. If that thought alone doesn't give you pause, perhaps this slimy "germ vision" animation will do the trick:

But fear not: All you have to do to kill these unwanted bacteria is to cook your meat properly (a thermometer can help) and keep your utensils and cooking surfaces clean.

Quinlan and her collaborators at New Mexico State University's Department of Media Productions have created a new public health campaign to get the word out about why washing poultry is a bad idea. Her focus-group surveys, conducted as part of a research project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, suggest as many as 90 percent of people rinse their raw birds. The practice is slightly more common among minorities, she says, but pretty much everyone does it."
- http://www.wnyc.org/npr_articles/2013/aug/23/julia-child-was-wrong-dont-wash-your-raw-chicken-folks/


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## boomchakabowwow (Aug 26, 2013)

Sam Cro said:


> Look it up  is a type of killing of a Yard bird .
> 
> Good day
> 
> Sam



look it up ..it's called a joke. hahha.

i have chickens too..well, i had. till i chopped their heads off with an axe. i never could get the feel for wringing their necks. smaller birds..yes. no problem


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## ThEoRy (Aug 26, 2013)

I always wash my chickens with Janet's Whizbang chicken plucker!!
[video=youtube;jMGZMoENjcU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMGZMoENjcU[/video]


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## bahamaroot (Aug 26, 2013)

I rinse my chickens just to remove any bone grit, organ fragments and some of the slime and then pat dry. It's has more to do with making them easier to work with and removing anything gritty than worrying about bacteria.


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## Mucho Bocho (Aug 26, 2013)

OMG Rick I think I pissed myself. I can't believe that PITA isn't all over this woman. Can you imagine what the meat must look like after its had a chance to rest. Great find. I never think twice killing chickens but this kinda made me feel for that yard bird. The **** people come up with.




ThEoRy said:


> I always wash my chickens with Janet's Whizbang chicken plucker!!
> [video=youtube;jMGZMoENjcU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMGZMoENjcU[/video]


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## Pensacola Tiger (Aug 26, 2013)

Mucho Bocho said:


> OMG Rick I think I pissed myself. I can't believe that PITA isn't all over this woman. Can you imagine what the meat must look like after its had a chance to rest. Great find. I never think twice killing chickens but this kinda made me feel for that yard bird. The **** people come up with.



Why would PETA get involved? The chicken was dead before it was put into the plucker.


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## boomchakabowwow (Aug 26, 2013)

my ranch butcher has a bigger one that he uses to remove the hair from hogs. it is amazing to watch.

and yes..the hog is killed first  like that chicken. dead.


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## Mucho Bocho (Aug 26, 2013)

Rick, Its People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. not People for the Ethical Treatment of Alive Animals


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## heirkb (Aug 26, 2013)

It's crazy that this person is not the only one using that thing as far as I can tell from the suggested videos. Wouldn't it just destroy the texture of the meat?


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## daveb (Aug 26, 2013)

Mucho Bocho said:


> The **** people come up with.



Looks good to me. I was thinking I wanted one before duck season. (The ducks would be quite dead)


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## Mucho Bocho (Aug 26, 2013)

Len thats what I'm thinking or breaking bones. Though if you have the strength to watch the whole video, surprisingly the bird actually doesn't look that mutilated in the end. The meat has to have contusions and hematomas. Nothing like a few blood clots in the meat to give it that extra dead meat flavor. 



heirkb said:


> It's crazy that this person is not the only one using that thing as far as I can tell from the suggested videos. Wouldn't it just destroy the texture of the meat?


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## Korin_Mari (Aug 26, 2013)

ThEoRy said:


> I always wash my chickens with Janet's Whizbang chicken plucker!!
> [video=youtube;jMGZMoENjcU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMGZMoENjcU[/video]



OMG NIGHTMARES. Is this real??


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## ThEoRy (Aug 26, 2013)

While I don't have a problem with the contraption itself, it seems like they should have removed the bird much sooner. There are other vids that only take 20 seconds or so to compete the process. 
[video=youtube;DMydVdwmuws]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMydVdwmuws[/video]


Yes Mari, it is very real.


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## Talim (Aug 26, 2013)

At least they kill the chicken first :dazed:


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## Lucretia (Aug 26, 2013)

Those rubber "fingers" have a fair amount of flex and look pretty soft. If you pulled the chicken out soon enough, I wonder if there would be much bruising?


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## Pensacola Tiger (Aug 26, 2013)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Rick, Its People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. not People for the Ethical Treatment of Alive Animals



OMG! Does that mean I can expect a knock on my door the next time I debone a chicken?


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## Annoakes (Sep 9, 2013)

I always wash chicken and marinate it with curd and turmeric.It tastes delicious when cooked.


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## split0101 (Sep 9, 2013)

I think like most members here. If Im buying a "perdue" bird or some other mass produced product, I'll tend to rinse the meat from the packaging and then pat dry with paper towels. The only reason I do it is because of the slime that forms in the packaging and its something my mom always does.

If Im getting my bird locally, then I will usually just pat dry.


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## tk59 (Sep 9, 2013)

If it smells funky or feels really slimy, I'll rinse it off.


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## bear1889 (Sep 12, 2013)

This reminds me of a story, my father once had a guy believing he had plucked a domesticated goose while it was still alive and that it got away from him and was running around with no feathers.

On the same note I once had a landscape architect believing a hunter was spurred to death by a wild turkey while turkey hunting.....those quaint city folk.

Sometimes I wash my chicken sometimes I do not.


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## Baby Huey (Sep 12, 2013)

bear1889 said:


> On the same note I once had a landscape architect believing a hunter was spurred to death by a wild turkey while turkey hunting.....those quaint city folk.




I have been attacked by a Wild Turkey before, can't say there weren't a few times it almost killed me.


Look out it is about to attack!!!!!


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## Lucretia (Sep 12, 2013)

It might not kill you, but you'll wish you were dead!


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## Mucho Bocho (Sep 12, 2013)

Baby H. you have excellent taste. The only affordable bourbon that I like better is Bookers. Nut my all time favorite is Pappy Van Winkle 20 YO


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## Baby Huey (Sep 12, 2013)

I like Bookers, Makers Mark, and quite a few others. Depends on the mood I am in. If I had a really rough day, the Turkey 101 comes out and if I had an really nice day possibly break out the Johnny Walker Blue, but Scotch is a whole nother animal.


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## Lucretia (Sep 12, 2013)

I'm the only bourbon drinker in the family and have a couple unopened bottles of Rare Breed that I "inherited" after my dad passed in 2002. I really should do a taste test against a new bottle.


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## Baby Huey (Sep 12, 2013)

Lucretia said:


> I'm the only bourbon drinker in the family and have a couple unopened bottles of Rare Breed that I "inherited" after my dad passed in 2002. I really should do a taste test against a new bottle.



Yesh...


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## daveb (Sep 12, 2013)

Passaround???


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## bear1889 (Sep 12, 2013)

Oooooo I love bourbon, I was spoiled, I lived in Cold Spirngs, Ky across the river from Cincinnati. My favorite liquor store selected their own barrels from the distilleries down the road....it was heavenly. I still pick up some bottles when I go back over for a visit. Right now I have a bottle of Jefferson Barrel Select opened, an unopened bottle of Eagle Rare 10 yr old barrel select, picking up some more Jeffersons and some 1792 in another week.


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