Do you wash your steaks before cooking?

DJCandle

Well-Known Member
BGOL Investor
I've been cooking steaks since forever and a day and I've never once washed them straight out of the package from the grocery store. I may give it a pat down, and then season with salt and pepper but that's about it.

I brought it up cause this girl says she not only washes her steaks, but her beef mince as well which was a whole new thing for me. Chicken I can understand you hit with water and lemon to cut the game taste but mince?

I've noticed that people wash their steaks are almost always people who like them well done since they consider blood "bacteria."

How do you all do your steaks?
 
I was listening to a podcast the other day where some doctors were talking about not washing meat at all (chicken or whatever..) is the best procedure. They said that you're doing more harm by spreading those harmful bacteria around the kitchen sink and counter top during the wash process. As long as you cook the chicken to 160 Degree INTERNAL temp..all the bacteria should be 100% eliminated.
But no, I don't wash my steak before searing or grilling. Just pulled some lamb chops out the freezer for later tonight too.
 
I was listening to a podcast the other day where some doctors were talking about not washing meat at all (chicken or whatever..) is the best procedure. They said that you're doing more harm by spreading those harmful bacteria around the kitchen sink and counter top during the wash process. As long as you cook the chicken to 160 Degree INTERNAL temp..all the bacteria should be 100% eliminated.
But no, I don't wash my steak before searing or grilling. Just pulled some lamb chops out the freezer for later tonight too.
I've heard the same thing. Spreading bacteria around everywhere during the wash with no exposure to a heat source. The steak obviously gets cooked but that countertop, sink and tools... seems messy.
 
I've been cooking steaks since forever and a day and I've never once washed them straight out of the package from the grocery store. I may give it a pat down, and then season with salt and pepper but that's about it.

I brought it up cause this girl says she not only washes her steaks, but her beef mince as well which was a whole new thing for me. Chicken I can understand you hit with water and lemon to cut the game taste but mince?

I've noticed that people wash their steaks are almost always people who like them well done since they consider blood "bacteria."

How do you all do your steaks?
Yes I run some hot water on it and then I either put in the oven or the Skillet. I don’t play That medium rare or rare bullshit my steak be done!!

Edit: Of course I put seasoning and/or marinade on it
 
Yes if you wash chicken or meat use a sterilize cleaning solution. I use a cleaning solution that I use on my clients and it is called Envirox 117.

It is an amazing cleaning solution that can clean anything from carpet, bathrooms, floors and mirrors and is completely organic and green. It completely sterilize sinks and counter tops and has the house smelling real good
 
Yes, I do. To remove any possible inorganic from the meat. Then clean the sink with a good spray.
Yep unless you are killing the cow and processing the meat yourself it’s coming from a third or second party so you don’t know what that meat been through.
 
Yes I run some hot water on it and then I either put in the oven or the Skillet. I don’t play That medium rare or rare bullshit my steak be done!!

Edit: Of course I put seasoning and/or marinade on it

The purpose of eating a steak is to enjoy the flavor of the meat and fat profile. The natural juices of the meat itself. When you cook to it well done, all of that is lost.

Do you eat the steak strictly for the purpose of tasting the salt and the marinade?
 
The purpose of eating a steak is to enjoy the flavor of the meat and fat profile. The natural juices of the meat itself. When you cook to it well done, all of that is lost.

Do you eat the steak strictly for the purpose of tasting the salt and the marinade?
Hey who’s cooking the steak???? ......me. I don’t burn the steak I just cook it well done you could have it cooked well done with flavor. Ruth Chris steakhouse is a prime example how you can I have a well-done steak and still have great flavor
 
Hey who’s cooking the steak???? ......me. I don’t burn the state I just cook it well done you could have it cooked well done with flavor. Ruth Chris steakhouse is a prime example how you can I have a well-done steak and still have great flavor
Gotcha. I was just curious cause I never understood why you'd cook all the flavor away, leaving that rubbery piece of meat. I figured it was strictly for the salt and marinade.
 
Gotcha. I was just curious cause I never understood why you'd cook all the flavor away, leaving that rubbery piece of meat. I figured it was strictly for the salt and marinade.
I once again easy B is not Amused :hmm:
 
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Ok I wash my steaks by habit now. I mostly get mine from the butcher and get to watch them cut them to my desired thickness. I once saw a butcher cut a piece of pork then cut a piece of beef for me. I looked at the meat and saw a lot of residue from his previous cuts. If yall cool with that possibility then keep on not washing your meat. All steaks get cut and you are subjected to the sanitary habits of the butcher.
 
Yes in our house we wash the meat from all the disgusting stuff from the butchering process that you don't see.

Then a second rinse of vinegar or lemon juice to cut the scent of the meat.

If you ever tried the two different methods of cleaning vs just throwing it in a pan, there is an aftertaste to most meats. Be it beef, chicken or fish.

Most of you that don't clean it is an American way I suppose, and just salt and pepper your food. West Indian cooking is different and is just the way I was raised to prepare meat.

We use a variety of seasonings to properly flavor meat for stew or curry or what have you.

This whole topic is coming up because this lady brought it up on a talk show the other day.

Even poultry, all the little yellow pus looking things in between the meat, most people leave that and cook it. That's disgusting and I cut that away when cleaning chicken.
 
Ok I wash my steaks by habit now. I mostly get mine from the butcher and get to watch them cut them to my desired thickness. I once saw a butcher cut a piece of pork then cut a piece of beef for me. I looked at the meat and saw a lot of residue from his previous cuts. If yall cool with that possibility then keep on not washing your meat. All steaks get cut and you are subjected to the sanitary habits of the butcher.
Forget about the butcher you see, what about when the animal is first slaughtered and cut into portions to send to that butcher. That's where the worst of the germs lie.

But most people think what they don't see, they don't want to know about.
 
I think I will trust fire to sanitize my protein vs spraying water on it

Ok I wash my steaks by habit now. I mostly get mine from the butcher and get to watch them cut them to my desired thickness. I once saw a butcher cut a piece of pork then cut a piece of beef for me. I looked at the meat and saw a lot of residue from his previous cuts. If yall cool with that possibility then keep on not washing your meat. All steaks get cut and you are subjected to the sanitary habits of the butcher.
 
If you ever tried the two different methods of cleaning vs just throwing it in a pan, there is an aftertaste to most meats. Be it beef, chicken or fish.

I’ve found this to be true esp. w/ baking chicken when I didn’t used to wash it...I taste the difference now
 
I wash all meats that I buy from the market by simply running water over it. As someone else stated if they're not cut at that facility you never know what they've come in contact with. Also the cleaning of the sink is automatic for me because I was dishes with bleach anyway.

If my mom and aunties see you cooking and not wash the meat, you will be talked about and they are not eating it.
 
http://www.hotsmokebbq.com/006chicken/washing_chicken.php

Excerpt:
"Why Washing with Vinegar?
Eddy applies this method of washing with vinegar to all his chicken and pork, and says that the vinegar will clean, desinfect and tenderize the meat, and that the degreasing effect of the vinegar on the meat will allow the taste of dry rub or marinade to penetrate better and deeper into the meat.

So washing with vinegar would not only be beneficial for reasons of health and hygiene, it will also improve taste and texture of the meat.

And I think Eddy is right! Check it out!"
 
I wash my meats and poultry with lemon and/or vinegar prior to cooking.
I have 2 good friends that are butchers, and 2 that are in the food processing industry. Let me say this, for those whom don't feel the necessity to prewash their meats, you probably should.... Or not...
 
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