Why Do Black People Wash Chicken?
I didn't realize Black folks and other minorities and people are color are typically the only people who are adamant about washing off their chicken until I was an adult. I noticed it because every time the "chicken washing debate" would circulate on social media whites/Caucasians would always appear astounded and shocked there was even a debate about the topic. Is washing chicken bad?
Cultural History
Like most Blacks, I grew up washing chicken. Most people wash their chicken because they do so habitually. It's done out of habit. For years, older generations have washed their chicken, so the custom was simply passed down.
Let's examine the history of food preparation for African Americans. During slavery, enslaved people often had to feed their families with less desirable ingredients that were passed on from their slave masters. Slave masters would often take the more desirable areas of animal protein for their meat consumption. The remaining scraps were then used as the primary source of meals for Blacks.
Examples include pig intestines to make chitterlings, butts of oxen used to make oxtails, pig feet, chicken and turkey necks, hog jowls, and more. To be direct, these areas of the animal smell awful. It would make sense why Blacks would want to give all of this food a thorough cleaning.
Black people are also used to spending large amounts of time washing collard greens, mustard greens, black-eyed peas, beans, etc. These items definitely require thorough washing because they are grown in soil and the ground. If you skip washing your greens you may end up with bugs and dirt in your pot liquor broth. We have all heard the stories, and many of us have made the mistake and have experienced this first hand.
Skeptism
Another reason people wash their chicken is because they are skeptical of where it's been, who handled the meat, and how it was handled. Most of us have seen footage from inside "kill plants," farms, and manufacturing facilities. It's often not a pretty sight. People want to wash their chicken in an attempt to remove any surface dirt and grit.
CDC Guidance
The CDC has direct guidance on how to prevent food poisoning as it pertains to cleaning chicken. On their website (in bold print) it says, "Do not wash raw chicken. During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops."
Here are a few more tips from their guidance:
- Place chicken in a disposable bag before putting it in your shopping cart or refrigerator to keep raw juices from getting onto other foods.
- Wash hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling chicken.
- Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken.
- Never place cooked food or fresh produce on a plate, cutting board, or other surface that previously held raw chicken.
- Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing chicken and before you prepare the next item.
- Use a food thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165°F.
- If cooking a microwaveable meal that includes frozen raw chicken, handle it as you would fresh raw chicken. Follow cooking directions carefully to prevent food poisoning.
- If you think the chicken you are served at a restaurant or anywhere else is not fully cooked, send it back for more cooking.
- Refrigerate or freeze leftover chicken within 2 hours (or within 1 hour if the food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F, like a hot car or summer picnic).
The CDC provided this guidance to prevent Salmonella contamination.
Salmonella Contamination
According to the CDC, they estimate that Salmonella causes more foodborne illnesses than any other bacteria. Chicken is a major source of these illnesses. In fact, about 1 in every 25 packages of chicken at the grocery store are contaminated with Salmonella.
You can get sick from contaminated chicken if it's not cooked thoroughly or if its juices leak in the refrigerator or get on kitchen surfaces and then get on something you eat raw, such as salad or vegetables.
How Do Black People Justify Washing Chicken?
Many people feel they need to wash their poultry to remove fat, feathers, and yellow surfaces of the bird. They also contend they will simply bleach and clean the surfaces when finished.
Many people also like to coat the chicken in lemon juice and/or vinegar. I've also seen stories of people washing their meat with soap.
Recommendation
The decision to wash your chicken is one of personal preference. I personally do not because I believe science supports that heat and safe internal temperatures will kill off anything I don't want in my meat. For me, it isn't worth the risk of contaminating my sinks and utensils.
As always, do what works best for you!
I had no idea the origins of Black people choosing to wash their chicken. Thank you for this educational post. Always learning!!
You're welcome! Forever a student.
I never realized this but it makes a lot of sense. I love how the article ended with “do what works best for you.”
Always!
@Carrie Durand, yeah cause I will keep washing all the meat I buy. There’s regular teens and adults working in the meat department. Never met any of them that looked that serious about it. Secondly we all slip up sometimes. That’s why we wash our chicken
@Adrian, it is impossible to "wash" chicken. All you are doing is rinsing it. That's not going to do anything for whatever bacteria you are concerned about.
@Jen, No I do more than rinse. I clean chicken with lemons, vinegar and salt.
Thank you so much for this education. It’s so easy as a privileged white person to stick up our noses and gawk and join in on the “debate” with such ignorance. Will absolutely be sharing this information with others!
Thank you for sharing the knowledge!
I had no idea of the cultural differences here. I’ve never washed chicken but this explanation makes so much sense and I love knowing the history behind it. Thank you so much for sharing!
I had no idea of the cultural differences here. I’ve never washed chicken but this explanation makes so much sense and I love knowing the history behind it. Thank you so much for sharing!
You're welcome! Thanks for reading it.
This is so interesting! Learning the origin is yet another eye opening learning experience. Thank you for sharing. Also glad I read to the end for the recommendation
I'm glad to hear it was eye opening!
This was fascinating because I’ve always washed it! More so when cooking a whole chicken and there is bits of feather or yellow left on it (even the good organic ones😂)
But also paranoid about the contamination all over the sink yes.
So many feel the exact same way.
Great summary! Very thoughtful
Thank you so much!
Great article. Thank you for the education.
Thank you for reading!
This was a highly informative read. I stopped washing chicken years ago but never knew the historical context.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Great read. Looking forward to more articles like this written by Brandi.
Thank you so much!
Great article and something I’ve never thought of! I don’t wash, but grandmother definitely did.
Probably along with most of our grandmothers!
An interesting read! Im glad you took the time to write on this topic. It's much appreciated!
Thank you!
Very informative! I did not know this about black culture/history. It makes a lot of sense. I never washed chicken, not really because I thought it was “bad”, just not always necessary. Thank you for the info!
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed the info.
This post took me to school. I had no idea about the history. I appreciate the time it took to gather this information and consolidate it for us. Great post! I now feel more comfortable not washing beforehand.
Yay! I love that I could take you to school.
My mom comes from the country where they use every bit of the animal! So interesting to understand the why for each individual. Love your writing! Looking forward to more articles in the future
Thank you so much! I appreciate that!
Makes total sense! Thanks for sharing. I will probably continue to wash my chicken … habit and if it ain’t broke. People absolutely need to do what works for them.
Wow, this was a very educational read. What an eye opener. Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome. I hope it was helpful.
I love learning more about the history behind why different groups of minorities do certain habits/ routines especially in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing! I also love that washing chicken is not recommended by the CDC because the idea of deep cleaning but maybe missing some of the chicken juice somewhere is big scary to me!
Lol same!
Very well written and educational. I had no idea the washing ritual had such deep roots. Thank you for putting this info together and sharing.
You're welcome. I'm glad it was helpful.
Thank you for all the information in this post. I don’t wash chicken for the contamination reasons, but my husband still does and it drives me crazy. Now I’m armed with a more informative and supported stance to hopefully get him to stop.
haha!
Thank you for this post! I had known it was a cultural difference but not the origin of WHY. A great learning experience for sure! Do what works best for you!
I'm glad it was helpful!
Makes so much sense! Always did it because that’s what Mama did lol Thanks for the perspective and info Brandi.
You're welcome!
Awesome article! Super informative and eye opening. Cannot wait for all the other gems I know are coming to this site! Thank you ladies, ya’ll are an inspiration!
Thank you, Sabrina!
Fascinating! This is a great companion piece to High on the Hog! Learned so much from that series and from this article!
I love that series! Thank you!
Very interesting! While my in laws do not wash chicken, they are very picky about kitchen hygiene (they wash off a can of beans before opening), I wonder if it has to do with the same issues you describe? Thought provoking. Thanks!
You're welcome!
@Brooke Jackson, likely has to do with the fact that there are rodents in the area that cans are typically stored so the top might be contaminated by feces and dried urine.
My parents grew up with farm animals that they raised for food, so I understand washing the chicken. It was a part of the process that continued when they no longer raised their own chickens. I stopped washing my chicken for the reasons you listed. It’s a hard habit to break.
That's interesting!
Thank you for sharing this information. Super interesting and very insightful. I enjoyed learning about the history of washing chicken, especially since I’ve never really heard of people doing that.
Yep, this eye-opening and educational for a lot of people.
Really appreciate the historical context! This type of education is so valuable.
I agree!
Great info, thanks!
Wow...I wash everything (meats, veggies), thought everyone did! I have just recently heard not to wash chicken and this not wise to me (I don't care what color your skin)! Ironically the organ meats have the higher nutritional value not that that excuses the "less desirable" parts being given to slaves. Slavery never should have happened but that's another issue. Thank you for wonderful recipes and much needed education.
Thanks for sharing! FYI the correct term is enslaved people, as opposed to calling us slaves.
I grew up in the Caribbean (Trinidad) and it was, and still is normal out in the Islands to clean chicken and all other meat. Using fresh lime or lemon juice. And then rinsing with water. We in the Caribbean are also keen on removing every bit of the chicken's feathers. Some people prefer to remove the skin altogether. It's a cultural thing, and I am proud of the Caribbean ways.
Nice!
I can taste the difference between chicken that has been washed with lime/lemon and chicken without. Sometimes, unwashed chicken has that slimy eggy smell that stays in the dish no matter how seasoned it is. Anyone else?
Nope, those are the signs of spoiled and/or low quality chicken.
I've always rinsed my chicken off to remove loose pieces of fat, skin etc. I know better than to think rinsing kills bacteria and germs but I'll probably keep on rinsing it just because I like the clean smooth look of the chicken breast I'm cooking. I've always been careful to clean my sink and counter tops with Clorox wipes or bleach; being careful to rinse them well. I believe it's a personal preference. Wish everyone did; I had a lady almost attack me over this debate. She was furious that I had no interest in changing my method.
@Carol, this is a reasonable take. It just bothers me when people use the term "washing" as if that's actually doing anything other than simply rinsing off debris and loose tissue.
@Carol
Exactly. Why not take a few extra minutes to ensure that the chicken is free of any remaining hair,feathers,bloodlines or any other undesirable remnants? At least everyone can agree on a thorough cleaning afterwards. I've asked this question on social media but never get a response...if you're transferring your chicken to a pan and drop it on the floor, are you going to rinse it off, throw it out or just throw it in the pan?
How would the chicken juices contaminated y kitchen if I do it safely and wash?
I don't have recommendations because I would not do this.
@Adrian, Exactly 💯
Yes, I found the history. Interesting also. But I’m not black and my family has always as far back as I can remember great great grandma always wash chicken parts basically any meat. And I know many other families in cultures that do. So it’s a sanitary thing ,not a black thing and love your recipe.
I’m not black and I don’t see a point why you need to wash chicken with dawn dishsoap before cooking? Doesn’t frying oil and water not mix? I feel like popeyes would burn down if they washed chicken with dawn dishsoap
@Mrmcsistrfistr, nobody is washing their chicken with soap. That's why the use of the word washing is misleading. They are simply rinsing their chicken with water or they might use citrus and vinegar which as the article States is more like a brine than a wash
I grew up on a wheat farm in Oklahoma where we raised all of our beef, chickens, and produce for consumption at our table. My uncle would share pork products when he butchered one of his hogs. I just ran across these recipes today and haven't gotten a lick of work done reading all of them. So many I had forgotten about or couldn't remember how to prepare after all these years. I could smell the biscuits baking, the black-eyed peas simmering away with a meaty ham hock,and so many other comfort foods I grew up with. Oklahoma may not be considered Deep South but my family roots are from Texas and Missouri. And I now live in Florida...go figure! Now back to the chicken washing debacle! My mother always washed raw chicken because we butchered them in our yard and would "defrock" them after dunking in a pot of boiled water. Then we would take them inside the house to remove the pin feathers by singeing over a gas flame which would require another washing. After gutting and cutting up the chicken into pieces, we would wash again and pat dry with a small clean towel or in later years, a paper towel. We would lay them out to dry for a few minutes before we whisked them into plastic bags and popped them into the freezer. This sounds like a long ordeal exposing the dead chicken to all kinds of air borne germs but trust me, it was only a few minutes from chopping block to boiling water bath into the freezer. Generations of cooks before me knew how to handle raw meat to eliminate illness. Once we were through, the towels and/or paper towels went into the burn barrel on our property along with all the disposable chicken parts. I am 75 years old and I have never been ill after eating my chicken, my mother's or any of my other friends and relatives. So it can definitely be done! And by the way, once we were through cutting up those raw chickens, we prepared a hot bleach water bath for our counter top and utensils. No germs escaped our work surfaces! And we never used a thermometer to check inside meat temperature. They hadn't been invented yet! Thanks for listening and enjoy your Southern cooking experience. A word to the wise: Common sense and practicing cleanliness when preparing food in your own kitchen will almost always ensure good healthy eating. Cannot vouch for your family and friends...or your favorite restaurant!!!
I have always washed and will continue to wash my chicken. Chicken has fat, slime and feathers on it. I don't eat that. As for contamination, Clorox takes care of that wonderfully. But to each his own.
I get what that the CDC advises and the science behind it but they aren't right about all things. The simple fact that it's been handled and processed by humans in a facility, I would never NOT wash my chicken. As you stated the killing facilities, the handling and shipping, or it could of been dropped on the floor, or whatever, I just prefer to wash my chicken with lemons, vinegar and salt. ALWAYS. And I just simply bleach the sink and countertops afterwards. If I buy it at the store and it can be washed, I'm washing it, including beef, pork, rice and ALL fruits and veggies.
I always wash my chicken (after removing skin) in lemon or lime then rinse off with cold water then pat dry. This is the tradition I grew up with. Afterwards I sterilise everything that the raw chicken has come into contact with. My mother told me that carribeans did this before refrigeration. But I like to think that this is better prep for chicken.
I WASH MY CHICKEN! I place it in a bag and soak it in vinegar, salt, and lemon (which makes the meat tender). I also similarly wash other meats. I disinfect my kitchen as soon as the meat is in the oven. Take out the garbage, clean any items that even look like they might have been exposed! Scrub the floors! I take it very seriously. LOL!
L
My family always wash chicken and other whole meats!! You don’t know how and who has handled the meats!!
Love the recipes.