Should You Wash Turkey Before Cooking It? Food Safety Experts Sound Off

It’s not necessary and could result in cross contamination. But we get that this can be a cultural norm, so if you do choose to wash, we’ll walk you through the safest way to do it.

After you thaw your turkey but before you cook it , carve it , savor it, and make the most of leftover turkey in creations like Turkey à la King , you might be wondering, should you wash turkey?

Readers come to us with this question every holiday season, so we turned to a panel of food safety experts to answer “should you wash turkey before cooking it?” We’ve previously listed this as one of 6 food safety mistakes that could spoil your Thanksgiving turkey , however, a couple food historians entered the chat to explain why washing poultry is such a common practice in some cultures.

Read on for a fascinating and brief history lesson, the answer to “should you wash turkey before cooking it?” , plus a primer on the safest way to wash turkey if you opt to do so.

Meet Our Expert

• Scott Barton , assistant professor and cultural anthropologist of African Diaspora foodways at Notre Dame University in Notre Dame, Indiana
• Sarah Brekke, M.S. , Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager
• Meredith Carothers , food safety specialist for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service in Washington D.C.
• Psyche Williams-Forson, PhD , professor and chair for the Department of American Studies at the University of Maryland College Park in College Park, Maryland

Why Some People Wash Turkey

When the USDA asked home cooks in 2019 why they wash poultry—if they do—the most common reasons cited were:

• To remove slime and blood (30%)
• To remove germs and bacteria (30%)
• Habit (28%)
• Because that’s how a trusted family members prepare it (20%)

"Washing” meat or poultry, this can mean different things to different people, according to Meredith Carothers, food safety specialist for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service in Washington D.C. Some individuals rinse it under running water by hand or in a strainer, and others soak it in containers full of water and some use salt water, vinegar or lemon juice, she explains.

Scott Barton, assistant professor and cultural anthropologist of African Diaspora foodways at Notre Dame University in Notre Dame, Indiana, confirms that his family has ties to Barbados, and “from my experience in Central and South American and Afro-Caribbean lands, this practice is very common. It’s for cleanliness and tenderization; sometimes using vinegar for flavor,” Barton says. “I found records of a Virgin Island native who said, ‘That’s how my mama taught me. It’s called tradition. Don’t change it.'”

Psyche Williams-Forson, PhD, professor and chair for the Department of American Studies at the University of Maryland College Park in College Park, Maryland, chimes in to add that centuries ago, preparing poultry involved steps like plucking off feathers, which was a much messier process than starting with the industrialized chicken and turkey we cook today.

“With increased industrialization, some communities have decided it doesn’t need to be cleaned. Many black people tend to disagree, and continue to wash their food,” Williams-Forson says. Washing raw poultry is common practice in many families with Southeast Asian roots , too. “We wash our beans, rice, and produce, as well as any meat that’s not ground. It’s cultural, then moves down to a family level.”

Should You Wash Turkey Before Cooking It?

Since we always promote washing any produce that’s not pre-washed —yes, you should even be washing your bananas when you bring them home from the store— “it seems to make sense to rinse poultry before cooking to have some added insurance that any pathogenic bacteria on the surface of the meat gets washed away, right? Well, not exactly,” explains Sarah Brekke, M.S., Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen brand manager.

But research proves that running poultry under water does not considerably reduce the bacterial load on the surface of the meat, Brekke confirms. It’s nearly impossible to wash bacteria off of the bird, and the act of rinsing turkey can easily result in cross-contamination when the turkey juices splatter and splash onto the sink, countertop, utensils, faucet, or other adjacent surfaces.

“Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, and utensils and it happens when they are not handled properly. This is especially true when handling raw meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood, so keep these foods and their juices away from already cooked or ready-to-eat foods and fresh products,” Carothers says.

This contamination, in turn, can lead to foodborne illness caused by bacteria like Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens , and Campylobacter , according to the CDC .

A USDA study found that after washing turkey and attempting to sanitize the sink, 14% of the sinks used by home cooks were still contaminated with bacteria. And when the participants were asked to prepare a fresh salad to enjoy alongside the turkey they had washed and then cooked, 26% of those salads were contaminated, too.

“Cooking to the right temperature—whether frying, baking, broiling, boiling or grilling—kills germs on meat and poultry, so washing these products is risky and not necessary for safety,” Carothers says.

With modern-day meat processing mandates in place, you should be golden to cook the meat as-is. Ensure you get the protein to the safe minimum internal temperature of 165° F , and this will kill off any bacteria, Carothers says.

As for the Test Kitchen, they follow the guidance of the USDA and don’t wash turkey—even after brining. To remove the excess salt and water of a wet brine, the Test Kitchen team recommends using paper towels to thoroughly blot the turkey dry, discarding those towels, then washing hands very well before proceeding to the rest of meal prep. This same paper towel-patting process can be employed if you find that the exterior of the poultry is more slimy than you'd prefer.

Related: The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes From Classic to Creative

How to Safely Wash Turkey if You Opt to Do So

So should you wash turkey before cooking it? It’s not necessary and can pose a food safety risk, however, we totally understand that the practice might make you feel more secure, may be a tradition, or could already be ingrained as a habit.

So if you elect to wash turkey, keep these safety pointers from Brekke and Carothers in mind to help reduce the risk of cross contamination:

• When thawing turkey in the refrigerator, place the turkey in a dish or on a serving plate or tray to catch any juices that may drip.
• Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and warm water before and after handling raw meat—and before touching any other surface with hands that have come into contact with the juices, such as the sink faucet.
• Keep raw turkey separate from any ready-to-eat foods or foods that won't be cooked later, such as fruits, vegetables, and other fresh items.
• Fully clean and sanitize the sink, counter, and any utensils that may have come into contact with the raw turkey before moving forward with your recipe.
• To clean your surfaces, wash with warm, soapy water, then allow them to air dry or wipe clean with paper towels.

To sanitize your surfaces, use a commercial or homemade disinfectant . “If you’re using commercial disinfectants, make sure they are approved for use on your surfaces and completely follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label. Some commercial disinfectants may require your surfaces to be rinsed with clean water after use,” Carothers says.

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