SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/rinse-raw-chicken

Should you rinse raw chicken in the sink before cooking it?

Don't wash raw chicken: rinsing spreads germs around your kitchen, and only cooking kills them.

  1. No, just cook it ✔
  2. Yes, under cold running water
  3. Yes, with vinegar or lemon juice

Why: Rinsing does not kill germs. It splashes them onto the sink, counter, and nearby food. Only cooking chicken all the way to 165°F kills them.

Huh, didn't know that: Only cooking chicken all the way to 165°F kills them.

The dad joke
What do you call a chicken soaking in a hot tub? Soup.
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Sources

  1. USDA FSIS: Chicken from Farm to Table https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/chicken-farm-table
  2. CDC: Chicken and Food Poisoning https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/foods/chicken.html
  3. FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
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That's stuff everyone should know.