Washing a turkey before cooking is a common practice for many home cooks. However, according to food safety experts washing or rinsing raw poultry can actually increase your risk of foodborne illness if not done properly. Here’s what you need to know about safely washing a turkey.
Should You Wash a Turkey Before Cooking?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends not washing raw turkeys before cooking. Washing a turkey does not remove all bacteria and can actually spread harmful bacteria around your kitchen through splashing.
However, there is one exception – if you have brined your turkey, you will need to rinse off the brine before cooking.
Frequency of entities:
USDA: 3
bacteria: 2
turkey: 5
wash: 3
cook: 3
brine: 2
Safest Way to Wash a Brined Turkey
If you do need to wash a brined turkey, follow these tips for safe washing:
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Clean your sink and surrounding counters thoroughly before washing the turkey. Remove all other items from the area.
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Line your sink and counters with paper towels to prevent bacteria spread through splashing.
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Use cold water to gently rinse the turkey, focusing on the cavity. Avoid a strong stream of water.
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Drain the cavity completely over the sink before transferring to a baking pan.
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Discard the paper towels, then wash your hands, sink, and counters again after washing the turkey.
Frequency of entities:
turkey: 5
brined: 2
bacteria: 2
cold water: 2
cavity: 3
paper towels: 2
sink: 3
counters: 2
Skip Washing an Unbrined Turkey
For an unbrined turkey, skip rinsing altogether. Here are some tips:
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Place the raw turkey directly into your roasting pan after removing it from packaging.
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Discard the neck and giblets from the turkey cavity.
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Pat the turkey dry with paper towels to get crispy skin.
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Cook to the proper internal temperature to kill any bacteria present.
Frequency of entities:
turkey: 4
unbrined: 2
roasting pan: 2
cavity: 1
paper towels: 1
bacteria: 1
Proper Handling to Avoid Cross-Contamination
Whether you wash your turkey or not, proper handling is important to avoid spreading bacteria. Follow these guidelines:
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Wash hands for 20 seconds before and after handling raw turkey.
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Avoid letting raw turkey or juices touch other foods, prep surfaces, dishes, etc.
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Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw turkey.
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Cook turkey thoroughly to 165°F internal temperature.
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Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Frequency of entities:
bacteria: 2
turkey: 3
juices: 1
cutting boards: 1
leftovers: 1
By understanding proper washing techniques for brined turkeys, and avoiding washing unbrined birds, you can help reduce your risk of foodborne illness this holiday season. Follow safe handling and cooking guidelines as well for optimal food safety.
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Things You’ll Need
- Leak-proof bag
- Baking dish
- Soap
- Paper towels
Plucking and Cleaning a Wild Turkey
- Knife
- Large pot
- Kitchen thermometer
- Rope
- Lighter
- Plastic gloves
- Baking dish
How to Clean a Turkey the EASY WAY!
How do you clean a raw turkey?
Wash your hands, sink, and anything else that has touched the raw turkey. To avoid cross-contamination, wash your hands and forearms with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds after handling the turkey. Then, use hot, soapy water to clean any utensils and kitchen surfaces you used, such as the countertop or sink.
Should you wash a Turkey?
Here’s why you should never rinse your turkey — and how to safely prepare your raw bird. “There is no need to wash your turkey,” says Kali Kniel, professor of microbial food safety at the University of Delaware. “You risk splashing bacteria on other surfaces in the kitchen or spreading bacteria around onto your countertops,” Kniel says.
Should I rinse my Turkey After brining?
The only time you should rinse your turkey is after brining and before cooking. Tiess recommends bringing your turkey in a bringing bag, like these from Amazon. Here is our guide to brining a turkey, and below are Tiess’s steps to rinse your bird post-brine: Clean your sink well and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.