Anonymous wrote:My mom always did this with chicken but I think the social media stuff is rage bait

I think my mom did that too - rinsed just with water. I take it out and let it come closer to room temp for a while, then put it directly from the package to the pan it's being cooked in.

Would it freak you out if I tell you I SOAK beef in cold water?

I’ve heard experts say you shouldn’t rinse meat because it spreads salmonella around.

On the other hand, my grandmother who managed a school cafeteria back when they actually cooked and was an expert in food safety once gave me a demonstration. She filled a bowl with water and then put the chicken pieces in the water. I was shocked at all the sawdust and debris that ended up in the water.

This was about 40 years ago and butchering processes may have changed, but it really freaked me out. I rarely cook meat other than ground beef, which might be even worse for all I know, but I assume it’s taken for granted we can’t rinse it, so I pretend it’s not an issue. On the rare occasion I cook actual meat, I remind myself that today’s experts advise against rinsing meat and that sawdust (cellulose) is commonly added to food.

If you’ve ever soaked and cleaned chicken you’d understand why those of us who wash it first do!

I only rinse off pork chops.

Anonymous wrote:It was done to remove the slime, dirt, bacteria crud. Then you pat it dry with paper towels.

There is no dirt on prepackaged chicken from the store.

Anonymous wrote:I rinse my meat, wipe down the sink after and have never been sick from it.

I’ve never once been sick from my unwashed home cooked meat.

To each their own in your own kitchen.

I rinse my meat, wipe down the sink after and have never been sick from it.

I don't think it helps with germs or bacteria or whatever (and yeah I'd heard the studies about washing the meat just spreading bacteria around the kitchen). But I do think often there is a slime or a gross feel or odor as a result of the meat sitting under plastic on the moisture absorbing thing. So if I sometimes rinse the meat, it's because of that.

It was done to remove the slime, dirt, bacteria crud. Then you pat it dry with paper towels.

A lot of people think it's better and have since way before tiktok or even myspace. I think that it might be because bacteria gets on the outside before it gets on the inside, so they thought it was a way of helping ensure that it doesn't make you sick. I do not, mostly because I hate touching raw meat and do it as little as possible, and I definitely don't want to clean all the meat water off sinks and countertops.

Some people do, some don't. I don't, but I have friends who are appalled by that.

Some people think it's better. But all it does it spray possible salmonella all over your kitchen.

My mom always did this with chicken but I think the social media stuff is rage bait

On social media I've seen that some people wash their raw meat before cooking. Very confused by it.

Is this strictly in the category of 'social media weirdness' or do some of you think this is better and maybe even necessary? Why?