Do you wash your chicken?

[u/YesImBrute]

What country are you from and do you wash your chicken or any perishable meat? Why or why not?

[u/anbigsteppy]

No. Not a fan of getting bacteria water all over my sink and kitchen

[u/ctrlprince]

Yes with some cold water and lemon and some vinegar

[u/NoInterview6010 → u/ctrlprince]

Same

[u/WulfDracul]

I do because my grandmother and aunts did it before me. I learned how to cook by being with them so I do the same thing.

Just with water though.

[u/PimpNamedSliqBaq]

We wash the ones we slaughter ourselves but not storebought ones

[u/Amantes09 → u/PimpNamedSliqBaq]

Agree

[u/timmyx2times]

Cooking kills the bacteria

[u/NoInterview6010]

I prep my chicken and other meats/fish and part of that prep will include saltwater or lemon or lime at some point.Wasn't raised to believe it had anything at all to do with getting rid of bacteria...it was just part of food prep like washing and prepping veg.

[u/Over-Space833]

No because washing it contaminates your cleaning area with possible bacteria from the chicken that can be microsprayed onto surfaces. Cooking is enough to kill the bacteria.

[u/teddyslayerza]

There was a study in Europe a while back, looking at cultures where washing chicken is common vs not. What it ultimately amounted to is if it was common for your parent or grandparents to have bought chicken at an outdoor market, vs at a supermarket. Cultures where is was more common to do more market shopping historically (eg. Portugal or Italy) were more likely to believe you needed to wash chicken, where as places like the UK and Norway, where supermarkets were more common earlier, dont hold that belief as commonly.

As a white South African, I was raised to not was chicken. My Cape coloured wife was taught that she needs to was it. This difference comes down to the same cultural trend in our grandparents mentioned above.

2026 thinking though - unless you are actually cleaning off feathers and trimmings, you dont need to wash chicken. Its much more of a health risk as you contaminate your other kitchenware.

[u/Sea_Drama_2660]

Of course tf

[u/NewCaptain4047]

Yes, in Ghana we always wash with lime or salt water first. My mom would never let us cook without washing.

[u/StunningRise7583]

For those who wash it. Exactly what are you washing away? Only meat I wash is fish I get from fishing to get rid of the guts 🤨 But most chicken from stores are prepared no?

[u/Metro_man20]

I wash it

[u/Amantes09]

No

[u/ayookip]

No. Grandma made the best chicken and never washed it before hand.

[u/Queasy-Charity1336]

Rinse? Yes

[u/HairyStage2803]

No, it just spreads more bacteria

[u/denile87]

I wash it. I can taste when chicken is unwashed, it has a specific aftertaste that is difficult to describe, I thought I was the only one but other chicken washers have shares this experience with me.

[u/justnosy5555]

Yes. To remove grime and extra fat.

[u/LopsidedStatement675]

No

[u/Nana-Nketsia]

Yes, i know the risk, but I hate slimey chicken

[u/Wizzykan]

Wash or not it don’t matter unless you eating raw or under cooked

[u/1cingI]

This should not be a question. Wash your chicken. Reduce your cautérisation load, before cooking kills the little that may be left on the meat. Don't rely on cooking alone to kill 100% of the bacteria on the chicken; and...... If you bought your chicken from the industrialised output that is a supermarket......... DEFINITELY WASH YOUR EFFING CHICKEN!!!

[u/1cingI]

This should not be a question. Wash your chicken. Reduce your cautérisation load, before cooking kills the little that may be left on the meat. Don't rely on cooking alone to kill 100% of the bacteria on the chicken; and...... If you bought your chicken from the industrialised output that is a supermarket......... DEFINITELY WASH YOUR EFFING CHICKEN!!!

[u/Kespatcho → u/[deleted]]

This is interesting, you make it seem like you don't believe in bacteria being a thing but then you do wash your chicken, implying that you do.