If your roasted turkey begins by thoroughly rinsing the bird, its time to take a second look. It turns out, giving your turkey a pre-oven bath can do far more harm than good. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), its impossible to remove all the bacteria from a raw turkey by rinsing it, and trying to do so can splash and spread harmful bacteria all across your kitchen! Theres only one time that you should ever rinse your bird. Read on to find out more, and the safest way to do it.
As Thanksgiving approaches, many home cooks have the same question in mind – should I rinse my turkey before roasting it? The traditional practice of washing poultry before cooking seems logical enough. After all, rinsing something under running water makes it cleaner, right?
Not so fast. According to food safety experts at the USDA, rinsing raw turkey is not recommended and can actually increase your risk of foodborne illness. Confused? Read on to find out why you should never rinse a turkey, the one exception to the rule, and how to safely prepare your bird for roasting.
Why You Shouldn’t Rinse Your Turkey
The number one reason experts advise against rinsing poultry? It doesn’t make the turkey any safer to eat
While the thought of getting rid of bacteria on the turkey sounds nice, the reality is that washing has very little effect on the level of pathogens present. Cooking the turkey to the proper internal temperature of 165°F is what really kills harmful germs.
Plus, think about it – would splashing some water over the surface of the turkey remove germs lodged in the crevices and cavities? Probably not.
According to the USDA:
“It’s impossible to wash all bacteria off a raw turkey.”
The USDA has recommended not rinsing poultry since 2005. Their food safety experts say that washing a turkey is not only ineffective, but can actually increase the risk of cross-contamination in your kitchen.
When you rinse a turkey under running water, juices containing salmonella and other bacteria splash onto your sink, countertops, and other surrounding surfaces. From there, the germs can spread to your hands, utensils, and ready-to-eat foods like veggies and salad greens.
And if raw turkey juice makes contact with cooked foods, bacteria can multiply very quickly. Not exactly the kind of “stuffing” you want in your side dishes!
The USDA points out that:
“Washing raw turkey can spread germs to other food.”
So while you may think you’re removing bacteria, you’re really just spreading it around your kitchen.
The One Exception: Rinsing After Brining
There is only one instance when poultry experts recommend washing a turkey, and that’s after brining.
The salt and water solution used to brine a turkey will leave behind some residual liquid that you’ll want to rinse off. This helps prevent the bird from becoming overly salty during roasting.
However, it’s important to rinse properly to avoid cross-contamination:
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Rinse the turkey in a large container or stockpot – not the sink. This contains mess and splashing.
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Use a gentle stream of cool water, being careful not to vigorously splash water everywhere.
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Rinse both the inner cavity and outer surfaces.
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Drain excess water from the cavity before transferring the bird to your roasting pan.
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Dispose of any brine rinse water down the drain.
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Thoroughly scrub and disinfect any surfaces the raw turkey touched.
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Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water.
Follow this process, and you can safely rinse away excess salt after brining without worrying about spreading bacteria.
Safe Turkey Handling Guidelines
If you’re not rinsing your turkey, how exactly should you prepare it for roasting? Follow these tips from the USDA’s food safety experts:
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Remove neck and giblets from the cavity. Cook any neck or giblets separately from the turkey.
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Dry the turkey well with paper towels. Any moisture on the skin will make it harder for the skin to get crispy.
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Don’t stuff the turkey until right before roasting. Keep wet stuffing out of the bird for as long as possible.
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Use a food-safe roasting bag to prevent the turkey from drying out. This also contains splatters during roasting.
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Cook to 165°F measured in the thickest part of the breast and thigh. Let rest before carving.
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Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers for quick cooling.
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Reheat thoroughly to 165°F. Slice white meat separately from dark meat for even heating.
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Disinfect all surfaces and utensils that touched the raw turkey, including your sink.
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Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling the turkey.
Following the above guidelines will keep your Thanksgiving turkey free of harmful bacteria without washing.
How to Clean Your Turkey Safely
When it comes to poultry prep, your goal should be preventing cross-contamination, not washing. Here are some tips:
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Use a separate cutting board just for raw turkey. Never place cooked foods on this board.
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Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot soapy water after handling raw turkey.
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Don’t place veggies or other ready-to-eat ingredients on counters where turkey was prepped.
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Use paper towels to soak up turkey juices. Throw them away promptly.
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Give your sink a good cleaning with a bleach-based cleaner.
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Dry surfaces thoroughly after disinfecting. Leftover moisture helps bacteria survive.
Follow these simple guidelines, and you’ll keep your kitchen clean without ever having to wash the turkey!
Frequently Asked Questions
Still wondering if you should rinse that bird? Here are answers to some common questions on poultry prep:
Is it ok not to wash a turkey at all before cooking?
Yes! According to food safety experts, it’s perfectly fine not to wash your turkey. The heat from cooking kills bacteria, not rinsing. Just remove giblets, dry with towels, and roast.
What happens if you don’t wash a raw turkey?
Nothing bad! The turkey will cook up just fine without being rinsed first. Not washing minimizes the risk of spreading bacteria around your kitchen.
Can you get sick from not washing poultry?
You’re more likely to get sick from rinsing poultry than from not washing it. Washing can splash bacteria onto surfaces where it can then contaminate foods.
Should you wash turkey legs before cooking them?
Nope, skip washing turkey legs or any other raw poultry. The heat from cooking will kill any germs present, so focus on preventing cross-contamination instead.
Is it necessary to wash the cavity of a turkey before roasting?
Washing the cavity of a raw turkey is never necessary and could splash bacteria around. Simply remove the giblets, pat the cavity dry, and roast as usual.
The Takeaway on Washing Turkey
While rinsing raw poultry seems intuitively like a good idea, experts agree that washing turkey is unnecessary and potentially hazardous.
Instead of attempting to wash away bacteria, follow the USDA’s guidelines on safe handling, cooking, and storage to keep your holiday feast free of foodborne illness.
The only exception is rinsing off brine after wet brining a turkey – but be sure to do so carefully to avoid cross-contamination.
Stick to these food safety tips, and you can skip washing your bird altogether for a healthy and happy Thanksgiving!
When should you rinse a turkey?
The only time you should ever rinse your bird is if youve brined it first. This is to remove some of the salt from the turkey. Youll want to do a little prep first, though, to minimize the spread of bacteria. “When rinsing brine off of a turkey, be sure to remove all other food or objects from the sink, layer the area with paper towels, and allow a slow stream of water to avoid splashing,” according to the USDA recommendation. Be sure to rinse the outside and the inside cavity of the bird with cool water and hold the bird up to drain the water from the cavity before transferring it to a roasting pan. Then, toss the paper towels in the trashcan and thoroughly disinfect your sink and surrounding countertop. Finally wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap.
How do you clean a turkey before cooking it?
Well… you dont! Just like with other meat, the USDA recommends skipping washing your turkey before you cook it. It doesnt matter if youre roasting, frying, or smoking your turkey, theres no need to give it a rinse unless youve brined it (more on that below). Cooking the turkey kills any bacteria, but washing a turkey before you cook it opens the door to dangerous cross contamination. Instead, take your turkey straight from the package to the roaster. The only “cleaning” you need to worry about is removing the neck and giblets from the cavity (to save for giblet gravy, of course!) and patting the turkey dry with a paper towel to achieve crispy skin.