Latest News: Don't Wash Chickens!

[Addie]

...and make sure you have the rest of the meal uncovered right next to the sink when you blast on the water.

Turn the chicken over with bare hands again and again while you examine it. Then and only then get out your needed equipment to prepare you chicken dish. Make sure you rub your contaminated hands all over everything you touch.

 

[GotGarlic]

I buy regular non-organic chicken and it's never slimy. Gross. If I had slimy chicken, I'd return it to the store.

Btw, there's a company that brings organic free-range chicken to the weekly farmers market downtown. It costs about $15 for a whole chicken weighing about 4 pounds !!! A little out of our reach.

Also, Chief - our city legalized raising chickens at home last year, with some restrictions. One is that there must be 15 feet of clearance on each side of the chicken coop. Our lot is 40 feet wide

 

[Oldvine]

I'm lucky to have a few brain cells that still function. It seems obvious that if I'm rinsing a chicken to get bacteria etc., off, that I might take care to keep the bacteria filled water from splashing around my kitchen. I wish I had all the money that goes into "studies".

 

[jennyema]

Bacteria is killed by cooking. You cannot rid chicken of bacteria by rinsing it.

 

[Dawgluver]

But you can rid it of ookies.

 

[JanetMlr]

Don't wash chicken as it splashes bugs all over the kitchen | Mail Online

Yup... have heard that one before, but it IS hard just not do it. But here's the thing... not only does rinsing (and this is true) actually spread that bacteria around the sink and beyond, but it doesn't rinse anything off. You can't wash bacteria off with cold water. Rinsing really doesn't kill or remove anything... but cooking does! I am careful about rinsing... but think about it. What is cold water going to do except make us feel better? Unless we're using hot water and soap (which of course we're not), we're not actually getting rid of (or washing) anything off that chicken. ?

 

[CWS4322]

That's the best response yet.


And for the record I'll wash my chickens if I want. neener neener

I don't actually bath the girls...but I do wash their feet every now and again. I have bathed Myrtle before she has gone on her social visits. She does NOT like the dog hair dryer--blows her feathers the wrong way. But, she does like riding in the car...

 

[GLC]

...
I am convinced that truly free-ranged chickens are more healthy, and flavorful because they eat what they were designed to eat, grains, bugs, worms, mice, etc. Chickens are omnivores. In addition to diet, they get more exercise, which pumps more blood through the muscles, which in turn make the meat more flavorful.

Sadly, due to ridiculous laws, most of us are not allowed to raise our own poultry, of any kind. We have to rely on what's available to us. To me, our nation is sad. We let the urban population, much of which have never seen a farm, or know anything about food, control what is available to us. And what they do know, is force fed to them by an industry that is concerned primarily with profit, not quality.

That's changing rapidly, and groups in most cities that banned backyard chickens have been successful in changing ordinances. There are, of course cities in which the ignorant have demanded bans. But the tide is definitely in the direction of backyard chickens. We deal with the same situation with bees, but, again, the tide is toward tolerance. Both issues have similar arguments. Cities have wild birds (including that flying rat, the pigeon) and wild bees. So what's the difference, other than the chickens don't roost over your car, and the beekeeper's bees are guaranteed gentle.

And my observation of my chickens, all of which run free all day on two acres, is that by preference, they are definitely carnivores. You should see the chase when one of them finds a tiny snake.

 

[CWS4322]

That's changing rapidly, and groups in most cities that banned backyard chickens have been successful in changing ordinances. There are, of course cities in which the ignorant have demanded bans. But the tide is definitely in the direction of backyard chickens. We deal with the same situation with bees, but, again, the tide is toward tolerance. Both issues have similar arguments. Cities have wild birds (including that flying rat, the pigeon) and wild bees. So what's the difference, other than the chickens don't roost over your car, and the beekeeper's bees are guaranteed gentle.

And my observation of my chickens, all of which run free all day on two acres, is that by preference, they are definitely carnivores. You should see the chase when one of them finds a tiny snake.

Or a mouse or a worm. My girls played tug-a-war with a garter snake yesterday....they loved it. The snake, on the other hand, did not.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Or a mouse or a worm. My girls played tug-a-war with a garter snake yesterday....they loved it. The snake, on the other hand, did not.

Aren't you glad that chickens aren't ten foot tall. We'd be their lunch. I can see it now; "Hey Gertie, whatcha gonna order?

"I cant decide on the roasted human breast, or the deep fried, breaded human thigh.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Zagut]

Aren't you glad that chickens aren't ten foot tall. We'd be their lunch. I can see it now; "Hey Gertie, whatcha gonna order?

"I cant decide on the roasted human breast, or the deep fried, breaded human thigh.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Just be glad we don't have wings. We'd never survive the Chicken Super Bowl.

To tell the truth if I saw a 10 foot tall chicken I'd head in the opposite direction as fast as my drumsticks would carry me. I'd at least check the type of mushrooms I used in that last recipe.



I think slime has been misinterpreted. I haven't gotten slimy chicken but a high viscosity fluid is in the package and I'd like to get that off the bird before it goes in the pot or on the heat.

Rinsing is not to rid the poultry of bacteria. It's to get rid of the ookies. (Thanks Dawgluver. I love that term)

Common sense say's not to splash liquid all over the place while rinsing off the ookies but perhaps the article is needed because we all know where common sense is these days.

 

[Dawgluver]

Just be glad we don't have wings. We'd never survive the Chicken Super Bowl.

To tell the truth if I saw a 10 foot tall chicken I'd head in the opposite direction as fast as my drumsticks would carry me. I'd at least check the type of mushrooms I used in that last recipe.



I think slime has been misinterpreted. I haven't gotten slimy chicken but a high viscosity fluid is in the package and I'd like to get that off the bird before it goes in the pot or on the heat.

Rinsing is not to rid the poultry of bacteria. It's to get rid of the ookies. (Thanks Dawgluver. I love that term)

Common sense say's not to splash liquid all over the place while rinsing off the ookies but perhaps the article is needed because we all know where common sense is these days.

Thanks Chief! We are small voices crying in the wilderness. Ookies are the only reason I rinse my chicken. Bacteria, who cares, the heat will get 'em. I prefer not to eat cooked ookies.

 

[Addie]

When I am preparing a packaged chicken parts for the freezer, I have a bowl of cold water on the counter. All the parts go into that and then I take them out one at a time and dry them well with paper towels. Then wrap for the freezer. It keeps my work area dry. And I am working right next to the sink.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Thanks Chief! We are small voices crying in the wilderness. Ookies are the only reason I rinse my chicken. Bacteria, who cares, the heat will get 'em. I prefer not to eat cooked ookies.

That was Zagut. I loved the post.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Dawgluver]

That was Zagut. I loved the post.



Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Apparently I need my eyes checked!

 

[Zagut]

Perhaps if there were bald chickens we wouldn't have to rinse the feather ookies off.

Not to mention it would be easier for CWS to give them a bath and Myrtle wouldn't get her feathers ruffled by the blow dryer.

 

[CWS4322]

Perhaps if there were bald chickens we wouldn't have to rinse the feather ookies off.

Not to mention it would be easier for CWS to give them a bath and Myrtle wouldn't get her feathers ruffled by the blow dryer.

I guess I could limit baths to when the girls are molting...

 

[Cheryl J]

Reminds me of the commercial where the lady is blow drying her chicken on the kitchen counter so she can have "fluffy" eggs. lol

 

[JanetMlr]

Don't wash chicken as it splashes bugs all over the kitchen | Mail Online

I've heard that and it makes sense. We all need to think about this. Unless we're washing our chicken with hot soap and water (I know... ridiculous example), we're not cleaning off/getting rid of any bacteria. I'm sure most (if not all) of us have always rinsed with cold water, and of course no soap. That does nothing to get rid or or kill any bacteria. But it does, no matter how careful we are, spread that bacteria. But cooking does kill that bacteria. This is a tough one. No matter how ineffective it is, it's kind of a reflex to just rinse.

I'm pretty sure I've responded to this before... but an interesting topic nonetheless.

 

[Andypants]

I find it keeps a day or so longer in the fridge if I wash and rewrap it. I even do it right before cooking, although I didn't realize that about the skin. The wisdom of grannies...

Re: 10 foot chickens -- Bullockornis! (AKA the Demon Duck of Doom)

Scientists believe it ate -- anything it wanted to!