Bobby Flay Shockingly Commits This Common Food Sin
It's been the subject of talk shows. "TODAY" pressed two of the world's best-known chefs on the subject, with Martha Stewart admitting that yes, she does it sometimes, and José Andrés saying there is no need to ever do it. The hosts of the podcast, "A Hot Dog Is A Sandwich," dedicated a whole show to the subject; one host was clearly against it, and the other was willing to listen to the other side. NPR called Julia Child out for saying she did it. And now Bobby Flay is willing to admit that he does it, too. What he and others are admitting is that they wash raw chicken before cooking it, something the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says you should never ever do.
In a lightning round of controversial cooking questions on TikTok, the so-called King of the Grill is unapologetic when he says, "I wash my chicken before I cook it." He is, however, against using pre-minced garlic, allowing animals in the kitchen (except for cats), and rinsing rice.
@foodnetwork do you agree with @Bobby Flay's takes on these controversial cooking questions? #BobbysTripleThreat
But washing before cooking is a crucial mistake when handling chicken. Rinsing your ground beef can also be a risk. According to the USDA's research, washing or rinsing meat or poultry can splash any existing bacteria onto kitchen surfaces, causing cross-contamination and raising the potential for foodborne illness.
Ways to make sure your food is safe from contamination
The best way to kill bacteria that may be sitting on your food is to use a meat thermometer to make sure you've cooked meat and poultry to the proper temperature: 145 degrees Fahrenheit for beef, lamb, pork, veal, fish, and seafood; 160 degrees Fahrenheit for ground beef; and 165 degrees Fahrenheit for poultry. Some cultures advocate rinsing raw chicken in lemon juice for food safety. Others suggest using a lemon juice bath. Still others use vinegar or salt, all with the hope that bringing down the pH level will kill off any remaining bacteria. But the USDA is not only adamant that the practice does not help destroy bacteria. In fact, one study showed that Salmonella not only survives in the washing liquid after a lemon and vinegar bath but also on the chicken as well.
But not washing the chicken doesn't necessarily protect you either. In a study funded by the USDA, researchers found that cross-contamination occurred even among those who didn't wash their chicken before cooking it. This was likely because they did not follow other food safety procedures, like washing the sink, their hands, and their utensils thoroughly after handling the poultry. Bobby Flay may be your go-to guy for grill advice, but when it comes to food safety, the end result is in your hands.