How to Wash Meat & Poultry

Uncooked steak can spread bacteria if washed incorrectly.

Bringing meat and poultry home from the store often leads to one common discovery: the meat or poultry is often sticky or gooey. While your first inclination may be to wash the raw food, the United States Department of Agriculture recommends against washing raw meat and poultry, because of the high risk of cross-contamination. You can instead soak the meat or poultry in water to remove any unwanted stickiness or even improve the taste by adding some salt.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Salt
• Water
• Chlorine bleach

Instructions

1. Choose a bowl or dish that can hold the amount of meat or poultry you wish to soak. Fill the dish with water and place it in your sink.

2. Pour salt into the water, if you want to soak the meat or poultry in saltwater. Salt can improve the texture and taste of meat and poultry. The amount of salt you should add depends on your taste, the recipe and the amount of meat or poultry. For example, a general guideline for a turkey breast is ½ cup of salt for each quart of water.

3. Place the meat or poultry you wish to soak into the dish. Never combine meat and poultry. For example, if you want to rinse ham, steak and poultry, you must use three dishes.

4. Bring the pot or pan you plan to cook the meat or poultry in over to the sink. Remove the meat or poultry and place it into the cooking pot.

5. Clean your sink and surfaces around your sink with a bucket of hot, soapy water. Add 1 tbsp. of chlorine bleach per gallon of water.

Tips & Warnings

• You should let the meat or poultry soak in the water for at least an hour if you chose to add salt. Heavier foods, such as turkey, will require longer soaking periods to fully benefit from the added salt.

References

• United States Department of Agriculture: Fact Sheets: Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety?
• Fine Cooking: Why Brining Keeps Turkey and Other Meat So Moist