Should raw meat be washed and why?

Raw meat comes into our kitchen either from the butcher's counter or from the store shelf. In any case, before cutting it must undergo veterinary control, and in any case, a “sticky” coating and entire colonies of microorganisms remain on it. So why do chefs say that you can’t wash meat before cooking?

Arguments for sanitation and hygiene

First of all, what chefs pay attention to: by sending raw meat under running water, you cause two dangerous processes:

• the jet “drives” the infection even deeper into the cut fibers;
• splashes, even if you don’t see them, fly everywhere, covering the table, walls, faucet, sink with bacteria - all this will have to be thoroughly washed using soap or sanitary products, and then wiped dry.

If you bought the meat off the counter at a butcher shop, it's best to pat it dry with paper towels and use tweezers or your hands to remove any shards. If you bought meat in vacuum packaging, most likely there are no films, bone fragments, or other debris in it. This product should be immediately put into the oven or on the stove.

Why is there no point in washing meat?

Meat is not eaten raw in the vast majority of cases. Even if you are puzzled by making minced meat, you do not need to wash the piece of meat first. Indeed, in the case of both minced meat and steak, the product will be subjected to heat treatment, and all bacteria will die. It is enough to heat it to 55 degrees, at which the steak turns out juicy.

Moreover, due to the water on the surface, the meat will not brown well, and you are unlikely to get a juicy dish with a beautiful crust - by waiting for the blush, you will overcook the core, and the taste will be spoiled.

Life hack: the secret to a safe steak
If you like steak rare, be sure to buy meat from a trusted supplier. And to make sure that the core has heated up to 55°, insert a cooking thermometer. He will tell you exactly when the meat is safe.

It makes no sense to wash meat before marinating it for barbecue. The sauce will saturate the product in the allotted time and completely disinfect it, and then the pieces will be well fried on the grill. Drying and salting act in the same way as marinade.

There is no need to wash meat before freezing, because extreme cold perfectly disinfects (all pathogens die within a day), in addition, after defrosting, the meat will be boiled, fried or baked. And before cooking, this is a complete waste of time and a waste of watering the kitchen with bacteria: the broth boils for at least 40 minutes, and all known bacilli die within 10.

Thus, washing meat before cooking is pointless and even dangerous. The splashes flying around can do much more harm than the meat that was “lying somewhere.”

The most important and only thing that needs to be done for the safety and health of household members is to buy the product at trusted points, without adhering debris and visible dirt, and to prepare it completely at home. When frying, do not turn on the highest heat possible - this will allow the meat to cook evenly inside while the outside sets into a crust.