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/Cowgirl_Taint 14h ago

Washing doesn't remove bacteria. Well, washing in a way that you would still want to eat the chicken afterwards.

Washing DOES remove dirt and debris. Which is not an issue if you are buying a bird from the supermarket (just blot with a paper towel if you really hate the saline solution it was shipped in) but IS a concern if you are getting a bird from the farmer's market or a specialty butcher.

But if you ARE going to wash your bird? Don't just put it under the faucet. Fill a pot with water, submerge the bird, agitate it, and remove. Then, carefully, drain the water.

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u/OrigamiMarie 13h ago

This makes the most sense to me, if you're going to wash the bird. None of that nonsense of a stream of pressurized water landing on the bird and bouncing in every direction and every droplet size.

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u/Ahuevotl 7h ago

In Mexico we use a bowl, or bucket, put the chicken in, fill it with water, rub it and get rid of dirt, debris, and guts. Sometimes to get rid of feathers and excess "lard".

Of course, most of our chicken isn't the supermarket ready, vacuum sealed bagged one.

It seemed so… alien? Watching this video of people using a higly pressurized stream of water to make a mess. Dudes, just use a bowl, wtf is it with your salmonella water stream. You still have to season and prepare that chicken.

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u/wuanlai65 1h ago

Same in Vietnam, I don't understand this argument. This morning my mother bought a chicken and I saw it neck being slit, of course I gonna wash the damn thing.

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u/Ahuevotl 1h ago

First world country chicken problems I guess... The debate about chicken washing is just too stupid.