According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There's only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.
In fact, this advice holds true for most raw meats and poultry. Research shows that when you rinse raw meat and poultry, you're not simply washing bacteria safely down the drain, you're actually spreading bacteria around the kitchen.
There's the splash factor, of course. No matter how careful you are, water can splash bacteria "up to 3 feet surrounding your sink," according to Marianne Gravely of the Food Safety Education Staff of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. But even if you've been vigilant about washing your hands after touching the turkey, you can still spread bacteria by accidentally touching, say, a cross-contaminated countertop and then touching the refrigerator door handle, dishes, utensils, towels, table tops, other food, your cell phone, etc.
What to Do Instead of Washing a Turkey
Just take the turkey directly from package to roasting pan. This way, you limit the mess, and the heat of the oven will kill the bacteria.
Which brings us to the exception that proves the rule. When you're brining the bird, you'll want to rinse off the brine before you roast the turkey. Check out How to Brine Turkey and also How to Dry Brine a Turkey.
Safety Tips for Washing a Brined Turkey
If you're washing your brined bird, there are a few precautions you can take to reduce the risk of cross contamination and illness.
Save the birds for last. By preparing foods that will not be cooked first, such as vegetables and salads, you decrease your risk of illness. According to a USDA study, 26 percent of people who washed raw poultry transferred that bacteria to their salad lettuce.
Do the dishes. There should be no dishes in the sink or on the counters around the sink. Then clean the sink with hot soapy water and rinse it well. You want to start with a clean workspace.
Clear the decks. Don't have knife blocks, dish towels, sponges, vases holding spatulas, or anything else on the counter, except the roasting pan.
Lay down a bed of paper towels around the sink.
Keep the roasting pan close so you're not dripping water unnecessarily.
Use cold water for rinsing. The USDA recommends filling the sink with a few inches of cold water. Place the bird in the sink, and gently run cold (not warm) water to clean out the cavity. That's the key: rinsing out the cavity. Let the water flow through the cavity.
Hold the bird up to drain thoroughly from the cavity into the sink. And then place it carefully on the roasting rack.
Clean up the mess. Toss the paper towels in the trash and before you do anything else, wash the sink and countertop with hot soapy water. Follow up with a sanitizer.
Wash your hands. After handling raw meat and poultry, the USDA recommends scrubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There's only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.
Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.
Just like with other meat, the USDA recommends skipping washing your turkey before you cook it. It doesn't matter if you're roasting, frying, or smoking your turkey, there's no need to give it a rinse unless you've brined it (more on that below).
Just like chicken or other fowl, there are two basic ways to clean a turkey: plucking and skinning. Plucking is the best option if you want to keep the moisture in the turkey while cooking it whole. To pluck the turkey, remove feathers from the turkey the same way you would pluck a chicken.
Short answer: probably not. First comes first, while washing poultry has been an age-old practice in hopes that it removes bacteria, it likely isn't doing the job you think it is. The Centers for Disease Control suggests never washing your poultry before cooking.
According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There's only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.
Some consumers may wash or rinse their raw meat or poultry because it's a habit or because a family member they trust has always washed their meat. USDA research has found that washing or rinsing meat or poultry increases the risk for cross-contamination in the kitchen, which can cause foodborne illness.
Cooking the turkey to a safe temperature – 165 F or hotter – kills bacteria on the surface of the turkey. Live turkeys contain a diverse array of bacteria and other organisms on their feathers, skin, feet and intestinal tract.
We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We've done the math for you — check out the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).
Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you're ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.
Field dress the bird as soon as possible and for the rest you should be okay to get it ready for the freezer or the table when you get home. Fortunately, 90 minutes is generally not an issue. Once home, you can pluck the feathers and clean the turkey in cold water.
And if you're wondering, no—you don't need to rinse the bird, whether it's been dry-brined or wet-brined, before adding more seasoning and roasting. Again, the bird needs to be dry, and Youngman also notes "it's not particularly sanitary to wash meat in the sink."
If you do decide to wash your raw turkey, the agency says to immediately clean and thoroughly sanitize the sink and surrounding area. Keep in mind, one USDA study found that 60 percent of those who washed their raw poultry had bacteria in their sink after washing or rinsing the poultry.
Use paper towels and get the skin "as dry as possible" before doing anything else. And if you're wondering, no—you don't need to rinse the bird, whether it's been dry-brined or wet-brined, before adding more seasoning and roasting.
Thaw turkey breast side down, in an unopened wrapper, with enough cold water to cover your turkey completely. Change water every 30 minutes and if turkey cannot be completely covered, rotate every 30 minutes to keep the turkey chilled. You can expect 30 minutes of thawing per pound of turkey.
From a food safety perspective, washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended as the safest method. If you wash meat or poultry, some bacteria can be splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen, which can make you sick if not properly cleaned and sanitized.
Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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