Are you preparing a turkey for your holiday meal? Turkey and its juice can be contaminated with germs that can make you and your family sick, including Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, and Campylobacter. Whether you’re cooking a whole bird or a part of it, such as the breast, you should take special care. Follow the steps below to safely store, thaw, handle, and cook your turkey.
It’s a common question many home cooks have as Thanksgiving approaches – should I rinse the raw turkey before cooking it? The idea of washing off bacteria seems logical. but is it recommended?
According to food safety experts, the answer is no – you should never rinse a raw turkey before cooking unless you have brined it first. I’ll explain why and share proper techniques for the exception.
Why the Experts Advise Against Washing an Unbrined Turkey
Washing raw poultry under water seems like a straightforward way to remove germs and clean it However, research shows that this innocent-seeming act can actually do more harm than good when handling an unbrined turkey Here’s why
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It’s impossible to remove all bacteria. There are naturally occurring bacteria present both on the surface and within raw turkey. These get destroyed fully during the cooking process. Rinsing cannot remove all of them.
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It spreads bacteria around your kitchen. When you rinse a turkey, juices will splash onto your sink, countertops and other surfaces. This transfers bacteria to areas that can cross-contaminate other foods you’re preparing.
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Cooking kills bacteria, not rinsing. Reaching an internal temperature of 165°F is what truly destroys any harmful pathogens present on or in the meat. Rinsing does not significantly reduce bacteria.
To limit the spread of bacteria and potential foodborne illness, do not rinse or wash raw turkey pieces or whole birds before cooking. Simply remove from packaging and place directly into your roasting pan.
The One Exception: Brined Turkeys
If you soaked your turkey in a saltwater brine solution beforehand, a quick rinse is recommended before cooking. This step removes some excess salt from the bird to prevent over-seasoning the meat.
Even with a brined turkey, take care to rinse properly and avoid cross-contamination:
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Clear your sink and surrounding area of any dishes, utensils or food.
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Line the sink and counter with paper towels to control mess.
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Rinse the turkey gently under a cool stream of water, both the inner cavity and outer skin.
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Allow water to drain fully from the cavity before transferring to a roasting pan.
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Discard paper towels and thoroughly sanitize the sink, counters and any surfaces the raw turkey touched.
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Finally, wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.
If you take these precautions when rinsing a brined turkey, you can safely eliminate some salt without worrying about spreading bacteria throughout the kitchen.
Should You Wash a Turkey’s Cavity?
Many home chefs want to know if they should rinse or wash the inside cavity of a raw turkey. Again, the food safety experts’ advice is no. Simply remove the giblets and/or neck from the cavity. If brining, you can rinse the cavity following the safe method above. Otherwise, no washing of the inner cavity is required or recommended.
What Really Matters for Turkey Food Safety
If rinsing doesn’t do much, if anything, to remove bacteria before cooking, what does make the difference in safe turkey preparation? Proper handling, thorough cooking, and cleaning.
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Keep raw turkey separate. Prevent cross-contamination by keeping it away from produce, cooked foods and prep surfaces. Use different cutting boards and plates.
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Cook thoroughly to 165°F. Use a food thermometer to verify the deepest section of meat reaches this safe final internal temperature.
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Clean up correctly. Disinfect any surfaces that raw turkey touched before and after cooking. Wash hands after handling.
Follow these simple common sense food safety tips instead of rinsing, and you can serve turkey at holiday meals safely.
Frequently Asked Questions About Washing Turkey
Despite expert advice against it, the idea of rinsing raw turkey persists. Here are answers to some common questions:
Should you rinse turkey parts like breasts and drumsticks? No. The recommendation applies to all raw turkey, including parts and whole birds. Only rinse brined turkey.
What about kosher and halal turkey? The guidelines are the same regardless of preparation method. Do not rinse kosher, halal or standard turkey unless brined first.
Can’t I just quickly rinse turkey under water? Even a quick rinse can still splash bacteria around your kitchen. It’s best not to rinse at all.
If I rub oil or broth on the skin, do I need to rinse it off? No, you do not need to rinse off rubs or liquids brushed onto the turkey skin before roasting.
Does washing make turkey less juicy when cooked? Washing doesn’t have a major impact on juiciness. Skipping it prevents illness, not drying out the meat.
Can I just rinse the giblets and neck? Rinsing the giblets or neck is not recommended. Just cook thoroughly as usual.
What about using lemon juice or vinegar to wash poultry? Washing with anything, including vinegar or citrus, will not remove bacteria effectively.
The Takeaway: Never Rinse an Unbrined Turkey
While rinsing raw turkey seems logical, scientific research clearly shows this innocent habit can easily spread harmful bacteria around your kitchen. For safety:
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Never rinse or wash turkey unless it was brined first.
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Always wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling raw turkey.
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Cook turkeys to an internal temperature of 165°F verified with a food thermometer.
Following this simple advice will allow you to prepare turkeys for your holiday meals confidently and safely.
Handle Turkey Correctly to Prevent the Spread of Germs
Raw turkey and its juice can contaminate anything they touch. Be sure to handle your turkey correctly to prevent harmful germs from spreading to your food, family, and friends.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling turkey.
- Use a separate cutting board for raw turkey.
- Never place cooked food or fresh produce on a plate, cutting board, or other surface that held raw turkey.
- Wash cutting boards, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing raw turkey and before you prepare the next item.
- Do not wash or rinse raw turkey. Washing your turkey can make you and your family sick. Poultry juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops.
Thaw Turkey Safely
Use one of these methods to thaw your turkey:
- Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator.
- Keep your turkey in its original wrapping and place it in a container before putting it in the refrigerator. The container will prevent the turkey’s juice from dripping on other food.
- Allow about 24 hours of thawing for each 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.
- A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can remain in the refrigerator for 1–2 days before cooking.
- Thaw your turkey in cold water.
- Be sure your turkey is in a leak-proof plastic bag before you place it in the sink. The bag will prevent the turkey’s juice from spreading in the kitchen. It will also prevent the turkey from absorbing water, which can make your cooked turkey runny.
- Make sure your turkey is fully covered with the cold tap water.
- Change the water every 30 minutes.
- Allow about 30 minutes of thawing for each pound of turkey.
- A turkey thawed in cold water must be cooked immediately after thawing.
- Thaw your turkey in the microwave.
- Follow the microwave manufacturer’s instructions for thawing turkeys.
- Ensure your turkey fits in the microwave with enough room for air to circulate. A standard microwave will usually hold a turkey less than 12lbs.
- A turkey thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately after thawing.
- Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. A turkey must thaw at a safe temperature. When a turkey stays out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, its temperature becomes unsafe even if the center is still frozen. Germs can grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C).
- Check out the USDA Turkey Thawing Calculator.