When it comes to chicken, everyone’s mind goes to washing it before cooking. But, whether in bulk or packaged, chicken does not need to be washed before cooking.
This bad habit that has taken hold with chicken on the grounds that, in this way, we will eliminate the bacteria is completely wrong.
When you rinse raw chicken, you increase the risk of pathogens (bacteria), such as salmonella and campylobacter (causing gastroenteritis), spreading down your sink. Notably, about 1 in 25 packages of chicken is contaminated with salmonella, according to estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thus, the risk of food poisoning and cross-contamination increases.
Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria from one food or surface spreads to other foods and other surfaces.
In other words, if you’re washing the chicken, you’re contaminating your sink, increasing the chances that bacteria will be transferred to the sponge and counter, and other surfaces with the two main causes of foodborne illness.
Salmonella infection can cause diarrhea, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, myalgia and stomach pain for four to seven days.
In rare cases, the bacteria can travel to other parts of the body, such as the blood, joints or brain, and cause serious illness.
However, there are three ways you can defrost chicken
How to defrost chicken in the refrigerator
It may take a little longer, but defrosting the chicken in the refrigerator is the safest method.
After removing the chicken from the freezer, place it in a large, sealed bag.
Then place it in storage in a large bowl, away from other foods, to prevent any water leakage.
Leave the bowl at the bottom of the fridge for around 5 hours per 450g or ideally for 24 hours before preparing to cook.
How to defrost chicken in water
Defrosting the chicken in cold water is the quickest and easiest method.
Place your chicken in a sealed bag so no water can get in and contaminate the chicken.
Place the bag in a very large bowl
Fill the bowl with cold water and submerge the bag. Make sure the water is cold – lukewarm water favors the growth of bacteria in poultry.
Change the water every 30 minutes
Depending on how much chicken you will need to cook, the chicken will defrost at different times. About 500 grams of chicken will take about an hour to thaw, but if it hasn’t thawed in that time, continue the process.
Cook the chicken immediately after defrosting.
How to defrost chicken in the microwave
A popular way to defrost chicken is to use your microwave. You need to be extra careful when defrosting in the microwave, as leaving it there for too long or on the wrong setting can make it unsafe to eat.
Place the chicken on a plate, then microwave (one or two pieces at a time) and use the defrost setting for one minute at a time.
Make sure the chicken thaws slowly.
With this process, you should be very careful, as the chicken should not start to cook. If you prefer this method, you must cook your chicken immediately after defrosting.
How to tell if chicken is properly defrosted
To check if your chicken is properly thawed, make a small slit in the thickest part of the breast or thigh. Its flesh should be soft, so check with your finger that it is not yet frozen. If you notice ice crystals or that the flesh is still solid, you should continue defrosting.
The right way to prepare raw chicken
First, the first step requires you to wash your hands thoroughly. Next, cut the plastic wrap off the chicken package at one end and place the chicken pieces on a clean food cutting board intended only for raw meat to avoid cross-contamination.
Then, carefully dispose of the packaging. Then dry the chicken with kitchen paper. Also, do not neglect to wash thoroughly with hot water and dishwashing detergent whatever you have used to prepare the food. That is, the knives or other utensils, the cutting boards, but also the counters.
The right temperature to cook the chicken
The only way to kill pathogenic germs is by proper cooking. Salmonella multiplies at temperatures from 7°C to 46°C. Therefore, insufficient cooking of food may allow microorganisms to multiply in sufficient numbers to cause infection.
The microorganism is destroyed by staying at a temperature greater than 70°C for at least 2 minutes. That’s why it’s very important to cook the chicken well, until it’s golden, and not pink inside.
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