Washing your Meat

[msgenie516]

Hi,

I have always rinsed my meat, just seems like a good thing to do. I really don't know if it does much good as I think it would take more than rinsing to remove all the bacteria. Of course, thoroughly cooking helps with some of it, though I like my beef rare.

Genie

 

[thespinningcottage]

I rinse my meat because I have a very active imagination. I always imagine it has been dropped on the floor before packaging, sneezed on, handled with unwashed hands, etc. etc. So I pretend I'm rinsing away all that stuff, real or imagined.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Good explanation tho!

 

[tonini3059]

I just read that washing meat is not advisable, the reason is that it spread bacteria. The reason I believe is that the chicken, beef ect water gets all over the sink and possibly other places, which I hold true. I just can't think of where I read that.

 

[thespinningcottage]

I've read that too! Of course, my over-active imagination leads me to bleach every surface of my kitchen after I do anything. DH teases me that he thinks I'm in there bleaching the meat too. Then, too much bleach isn't good either, especially if you're on septic like we are. Too much bleach kills the beneficial bacteria in the septic tank. I can't win!! So, I rinse the meat, bleach the kitchen, bleach the meat, rinse the kitchen,..... on and on....

 

[randomchick]

oh man. Meat on the floor! Bleaching your meat! Other peoples sneezing boogies!
Eww, eww eww!
This is why I can no longer let myself buy meat. I am lucky enough to be able to raise my own meat, but it still gets processed by someone else. People, what is the right answer. Should we wash or not? Is there a right answer?
What I do is make sure every piece of meat gets frozen for 48 hours at least, and also cooked well done. I don't have a clue about this washing thing.
Wouldn't pouring water over the meat cause any bacteria that is on the meat to spread? Water can't rinse off bacteria without soap can it? Doesn't cooking kill bacteria?
Now your post has me wrapped up in questions.

 

[thespinningcottage]

I know I've been a little on the silly side up to now, but here's how I REALLY feel about it: Yes, water will not "wash" away bacteria; however, there are other things on your meat you may not want to eat besides bacteria. Hence my silly comments about dropping it on the floor. Casual dust and foreign objects could feasibly imbed in the meat and get cooked and eaten unbeknownst to anybody. I think rinsing is wise as long as there are no illusions that it in any way replaces thorough cooking. Of course, to each his own - if you feel it will be more harmful than beneficial, by all means do not rinse. I will not be silly anymore and talk about the crunchy things you may feel between your teeth, you have my word.

 

[silkiechicken]

I rinse any meat, be it my own birds or store stuff. It won't kill bacteria and stuff, but after any period of storage, any microorganisms on the food that are alive, do produce bacterial waste so to say, so to rinse the meat removes those wastes that can give things a "fishy" flavor. It won't rinse away the microorganisms in the meat, but the level inside would be less to start with anyways b/c of the less optimal enviornment, ie, surface oxygen.


As for other "junk" from handling.... most cases of e.coli on salad and such are from HUMAN strains of e.coli. Humans can touch your meat, humans can touch your veggies....

 

[Bettacreek]

The only meat that I rinse is home butchered meat during the butchering process. And that's only to wash poo or whatever else got on the meat during the process (excess blood, fur, feather, etc). Never even thought of rinsing any purchased meats.

 

[marymac]

I think the only real reason to wash meat would be to rinse off any ole blood or meat juices which sat there or bits of ground bone from the meat saws, but as far as getting rid of anything it will happen when we cook it. Look at hamburger , no one rinses it and who know what might be in it. I always did rinse my meat, but I just noticed on the cooking shows they don't. Probably don't matter.