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While it may seem somewhat intuitive to wash all your foods before eating them, not all
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ingredients require that type of care.
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"So, how many of you think you need to wash a chicken before you cook it?
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That's not right!"
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You might think washing raw chicken and other kinds of meat prior to cooking helps to clean
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off bacteria and stave off foodborne illnesses, but the opposite is true.
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With poultry, the water you would use to rinse it isn't scalding hot enough to actually kill
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off bacteria, which means that doing so only redistributes any harmful bacteria onto your
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kitchen surfaces.
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When you then prepare other foods on those same surfaces, cross-contamination may cause
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illness.
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Similar to the rationale for not washing raw poultry, the USDA advises against washing
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raw meat such as beef, lamb, and pork.
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You're better off skipping the meat wash and instead, thoroughly washing and cleaning your
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kitchen surfaces in between cooking sessions.
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The same goes for washing raw fish.
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To put it simply: you shouldn't.
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Instead, buy fish that's been gutted and scaled from a reputable fishmonger.
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Wash your hands well and clean surfaces in your kitchen work areas as thoroughly as possible.
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These simple precautions are your best bet for preventing foodborne illnesses.
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A whole turkey can be one of the biggest challenges anyone can face in the kitchen, and that's
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quite literal.
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Trying to wrestle with a raw, 20-pound bird might be the hardest part of preparing your
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fancy meal, and that's just one more reason to skip washing your bird.
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As with the above meat, washing it won't remove bacteria, it'll just spread it around.
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There is a single exception, though, and according to the US government's Food Safety blog, turkeys
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that have been brined need to be rinsed.
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Washing a brined turkey involves running cold water through the inside cavity of the turkey,
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although you still shouldn't rinse or wash the outside of the bird.
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Moving away from meat, many bagged salads, as well as pre-cut and packaged produce like
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carrots or celery, have been pre-washed so you do not need to wash them after buying.
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These products will be labeled as ready-to-eat if they have been pre-washed.
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In fact, washing them once you get home can actually increase the chances of contaminating
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them with bacteria that may already be on your kitchen surfaces.
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Since commercially packaged produce has often been "triple washed," they are perfect to
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eat as is.
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While it might not get you sick, you still shouldn't wash pasta before cooking.
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The natural starches in all varieties of pasta are exactly what you want to keep.
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Often, you'll want to reserve some of the cooking water because that starchy content
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is invaluable when it comes to helping you create the silkiest sauce possible.
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The starch from that water helps the sauce cling to the noodles, resulting in a thick,
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tasty sauce that coats the pasta perfectly.
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The USDA does not recommend washing eggs you purchase from the store.
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As a special technique of washing eggs is required as part of the commercialization
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process, doing so once your eggs are home can increase the risk of cross-contamination.
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Eggs are washed and cleaned once they've been laid in order to remove any bacteria.
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They are then coated with mineral oil to give the shells a layer of protection.
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As such, there's no need for you to re-wash them.
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