How to wash chicken

 How to wash chicken

The following steps are recommended when washing chicken:

•   Remove the chicken giblets and stuffings, then wash them, as they can be used to make soup or sauce, or they can be discarded immediately if you don't want to use them.

•   Remove the kidneys from the chicken, pulling them firmly from where they contact the tissues so that they appear as small, round, dark red or brown lumps on the bird's back and just above the tail. 

• Remove excess fat and cartilage from the chicken, it can be found in the area around the neck and tail, so that one person can pull it off firmly by hand, or use a knife to cut it off and discard it. 

•   Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold water, as warm water raises its temperature, which accelerates the growth of bacteria that spoil the meat faster, and rinse by holding it under a light stream of water, stirring until the water reaches every part of the chicken.  Then dry it with a paper towel.

Tips for washing chicken

• It should be noted that bacteria from chickens cannot be easily removed by washing them, so they must be removed by increasing the temperature of the feed, and a thermometer can be used to see if it has reached a sufficient temperature to kill any bacteria that are transmitted. through them.  Food and all chicken parts must be cooked to a temperature of at least 63 degrees Celsius before removing the food from the heat source and then allowing the meat to rest for 3 minutes before eating. 

• Hands should be washed with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after washing raw chicken, because hands transfer bacteria from chicken to any food they touch. Disinfect these areas using a solution of 1 tablespoon liquid bleach in about 4 liters of water.

• Using a separate cutting board for both raw chicken and fresh vegetables, for example, is recommended because using the same cutting board greatly contributes to bacterial transfer and contamination, and if used for more than one type of food, must be cleaned well

Important precautions when washing chicken

Research has shown that washing raw chicken and other poultry under running water contributes to the spread of bacteria on all kitchen surfaces, such as towels and foods adjacent to the chicken, such as salads or other raw foods, and this in turn can cause illness in people.  especially young children, pregnant women and the elderly. Instead, the elderly and those with weakened immunity can transfer raw chicken from the washing container directly to the cooking container, where the cooking heat kills bacteria.