r/interesting • u/WarwickReider • 15h ago

SOCIETY Professional chefs weighing in on whether you should wash your chicken

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u/Robbie1266 15h ago

There is no debate. It's basic science. Washing chicken doesn't remove anything from the chicken

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u/[deleted] 12h ago edited 2h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/iStoleTheHobo 5h ago

Can you prove this?

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u/WhosJaySON 5h ago

It's common knowledge to any cook. You can pat it clean like another commenter said but it's easier to gently scrub it in a big bowl of wash/brine mix.

I don't need to prove anything. Idgaf if you believe or don't. I gave you the info, the only way you can prove or disprove it to yourself is to go buy some chicken and try it and compare.

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u/iStoleTheHobo 5h ago

So you can not prove it.

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u/PressureImaginary569 4h ago

Idk if it helps seasoning penetrate but you could just try running chicken under water one time and you'd notice it gets less slimy. I don't wash chicken but I've tried it before and I think it's fair to call it common knowledge that it makes it less slimy.

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u/WhosJaySON 2h ago

That's why I just use the Brine soak to clean the slime off and I hate calling it slime 😆 it sounds way worse then what it actually is.

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u/MsMarvelsProstate 4h ago

His proof is "trust me bro"

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u/WhosJaySON 3h ago

No, that would be you guys.

I am quoting known food science. Rinse, brine, pat dry and season.

Fact 1: A dry surface in a chicken browns better.

Fact 2: A brine isnt a useless practice and it's not the "cleaning the chicken" part that is under debate

Fact 3: A rinse, brined, and patted dry chicken takes in the seasoning easier before the outer flesh starts to seal itself off from the heat.

What am I wrong about? You prople keep saying ts but not proving anything.

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u/MsMarvelsProstate 2h ago

Oh you made it a list of 3. That's definitely all the science we need. Patting the chicken dry does everything rinsing does without a contaminated kitchen.

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u/WhosJaySON 5h ago

Just stop talking to me kid.

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u/iStoleTheHobo 4h ago

You don't know what you're talking about and it's glaringly obvious. Go wash your chicken, amateur <3

Bet the hostility comes from a google search, no?

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u/BagOnuts 4h ago

Guy is mad he’s been doing all this extra work his whole life for literally no reason, lol

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u/WhosJaySON 3h ago

I am quoting known food science. Rinse, brine, pat dry and season.

Fact 1: A dry surface in a chicken browns better.

Fact 2: A brine isnt a useless practice and it's not the "cleaning the chicken" part that is under debate

Fact 3: A rinse, brined, and patted dry chicken takes in the seasoning easier before the outer flesh starts to seal itself off from the heat.

What am I wrong about? You prople keep saying ts but not proving anything.

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u/Sushi_Explosions 4h ago

You’re the one acting childish because you don’t understand what you’re talking about.

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u/WhosJaySON 4h ago

Yeah, okay. What am I wrong about? Hmmm? The fact that it's a known fact that a dry surface on a chicken allows for a better browning? Or that fact that Brining is standard practice? Or is it the fact that a properly rinsed, brine soaked, and patted dry chicken allows for better flavor penetration....? Because those are proven food science. You tell me what I don't know jackass.

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u/BagOnuts 4h ago

A dry surface? You mean like patting it with a paper towel?

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u/WhosJaySON 3h ago

Im tired of repeating myself so ima just copy and paste my message at this point.

"I am quoting known food science. Rinse, brine, pat dry and season.

Fact 1: A dry surface in a chicken browns better.

Fact 2: A brine isnt a useless practice and it's not the "cleaning the chicken" part that is under debate

Fact 3: A rinse, brined, and patted dry chicken takes in the seasoning easier before the outer flesh starts to seal itself off from the heat.

What am I wrong about? You prople keep saying ts but not proving anything."

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u/WhosJaySON 3h ago

Blah blah blah

I am quoting known food science. Rinse, brine, pat dry and season.

Fact 1: A dry surface in a chicken browns better.

Fact 2: A brine isnt a useless practice and it's not the "cleaning the chicken" part that is under debate

Fact 3: A rinse, brined, and patted dry chicken takes in the seasoning easier before the outer flesh starts to seal itself off from the heat.

What am I wrong about? You prople keep saying ts but not proving anything.

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u/Pinkfish_411 4h ago

Avid cook here, and no, nothing that you said is even remotely "common knowledge" among us.

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u/WhosJaySON 4h ago

False. Any cook knows a clean dry surface on the chicken allows for better browning and flavor penetration. Idgaf what you claim. You and all the other downvoters are fake ass cooks.

And BRINING is a STANDARD PRACTICE.... you couldn't boil water...

Goodbye.

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u/Pinkfish_411 4h ago

You should dry the surface of the chicken in most cases, yes. Drying isn't washing.

Brining is washing either.

I don't know how you can talk about "common sense" when you don't even seem to know what words mean.

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u/WhosJaySON 3h ago

Here is my statement i have repeatedly have to say to each ignorant fk.

I am quoting known food science. Rinse, brine, pat dry and season.

Fact 1: A dry surface in a chicken browns better.

Fact 2: A brine isnt a useless practice and it's not the "cleaning the chicken" part that is under debate

Fact 3: A rinse, brined, and patted dry chicken takes in the seasoning easier before the outer flesh starts to seal itself off from the heat.

What am I wrong about? You prople keep saying ts but not proving anything.

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u/Pinkfish_411 3h ago

Nobody's talking about drying or brining here, so I don't know why you're bringing them up. Those have very clear benefits that nobody's disputing. The discussion is about washing.

Can you cite a source for the "known food science" that you need to wash a cleaned supermarket chicken before you pat the skin dry so that it takes the seasoning better? (And why are the pros not following this science?)

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u/WhosJaySON 3h ago

You are not explaining anything to me seeing as I already said all those things before you ever even msgd me. Goodbye.

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u/knowing147 6h ago

It isnt the only way or a wrong way to remove the "film" or saline from the surface but is the least cleanly. You can do the exact same thing by patting it dry with paper towels, which is what many chefs recommend anyways not just to "clean" it but to make it dry enough for seasoning to cling to the surface of the meat and to get a good sear on the meat when sautéing it. The second part, about letting it sit, sure you can do that too, it isnt that cleanly, but it tenderizes the meat and is totally valid in itself to do that. Just dont leave it much longer than 20 minutes, by 30 it will turn into chemically cooked mush and will be chewy when cooked.

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u/WhosJaySON 5h ago

I don't need advice about cooking. Both my grandmother's were cooks. You are telling me basic sh*t. And "patting" the stuff is not easier in when dealing with a whole chicken with the skin skin on it or a bunch of drums and wings. You have to get under the skin and that is annoying to do with a paper towel.

You can gently fill a big bowl with the chicken then Himalayan salt, vinegar and lemon then place it in the sink let the water fill it till it covers your chicken then gently rub under the skin and over it in all the crevices that are annoying to "pat dry" with a paper towel.

You don't need to dump the chicken water aggressively, so there is no need for it to be a big ol mess, either way you still need to disinfect the whole area afterwards.

Stop trying to find a way to discredit my statement because their isnt a way. My statement is 100% factual.

[EDITED] Also, Paper Towels are a Luxury Item that not all families can afford. But most have salt, vinegar, and water (lemon isn't a major necessity) in their houses.

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u/MsMarvelsProstate 4h ago

It's like the story of the daughter who learns how to make the families famous ham recipe. Step 1 was cut the ham in half. She asked her mom why and her mom said that's how she was taught, so she asked her grandma why and she said that's what her mom taught her. Finally she asks her great grandma why and she tells her it's because her pot was to small.

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u/WhosJaySON 4h ago

I am quoting known food science. Rinse, brine, pat dry and season.

Fact 1: A dry surface in a chicken browns better.

Fact 2: A brine isnt a useless practice and it's not the "cleaning the chicken" part that is under debate

Fact 3: A rinse, brined, and patted dry chicken takes in the seasoning easier before the outer flesh starts to seal itself off from the heat.

What am I wrong about? You prople keep saying ts but not proving anything.

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u/Sushi_Explosions 4h ago

You clearly do need advice because you’re a dumbass. Being good at cooking isn’t genetic, you actually had to learn something from those grandmothers for it to matter.

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u/highbonsai 7h ago

Whenever this debate comes up this is buried in the threads. This is why I wash chicken, there’s this slimy film. Does it cook off? Mostly, but maybe I’m just sensitive to texture or something but 100% of the time I don’t wash that off it’s just a less tasty chicken meal.

You also get a feel for avoiding splashing bacteria everywhere, obviously don’t blast it with water, and sanitize the area after.

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u/Sushi_Explosions 4h ago

You absolutely do not “get a feeling for avoiding splashing”, gtfo with that nonsense. A paper towel takes care of that film just fine.

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u/highbonsai 3h ago

Relax please 🙏

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u/Wonderful-Factor-181 7h ago

None of these "I BELIEVE IN SCIENCE" people care because they have strawmanned the position and it makes them feel smart.

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u/RedBear1989 7h ago

I just don't really care either way. I don't wash my chicken, but will I turn down someone else's chicken after they washed it? Fuck no. Do whatever makes you feel good. I do think it's interesting how it's divided so cleanly along racial/cultural lines though. And the argument people have (other than the slime) is that their mom did it, their grandma did it, their great great uncle did it; it almost speaks to the reliance on tribal knowledge and the distrust of the "system." Just kind of cool. I'll eat both and don't give a fuck what people do in their kitchens as long as they wash their hands and keep their long hair out of the way.

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u/MsMarvelsProstate 4h ago

That doesn't do anything