Can I Marinate Beef Before Washing It

Most of us have been told that meat needs to be washed before marinating.

Is this necessary? Do you wash meat before marinating?

My answer is there's no need to wash the surface of the meat because it doesn't come into contact with raw meats, and there's no risk for cross-contamination with other foods. Also, washing the surface of the meat removes some of the natural flavors and juices from the meat.

It is common knowledge among most people that you should thoroughly rinse all meats before preparing them for cooking or eating in order to remove any bacteria or dirt on its surface.

The truth is, this practice does nothing more than wastewater and removes some natural flavor from your food.

To cook safe food without any worries about contamination, simply give the meat a quick rinse with clean, cool water and move on.

Whether you're grilling outside or indoors, always be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling any food in order to prevent the possible spread of bacteria.

Also, make sure to wash your utensils and cutting boards as well. However, you don't need to worry about washing meat before marinating it.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, there is no need to rinse meat before cooking it because harmful bacteria will not reside on the surface of the raw food.

Furthermore, rinsing your meats with cold water won't kill any bacteria or make your food safer to eat.

Since the surface of meats does not come into contact with other raw foods, it will not spread its harmful bacteria to other types of foods you're preparing.

Also, because the meat is about 75 percent water, rinsing meat with cold water won't kill any bacteria that may be present either.

The only case where you actually need to thoroughly wash your meat is when it is visibly contaminated.

However, if the surface of the meat has visible and invisible dirt and bacteria, make sure to clean your meats before cooking them.

Always remember to wash your hands with soap and water before touching raw food in order to prevent any type of accidental contamination.

Since there are many other types of food that do need rinsings before cooking, such as vegetables and fruits, you should not waste any water for the sake of meat.

Should you wash meat before freezing?

No, it's not necessary to wash meats before freezing. Frozen food can be thawed and refrozen many times before the quality is affected.

Freezing keeps bacteria at bay because it prevents their growth until they are defrosted.

It's completely unnecessary to wash your meats before freezing them, as long as you wrap them properly for freezer storage.

Freezing keeps bacteria at bay because it prevents their growth until they are defrosted. Never re-freeze foods that have thawed completely.

Conclusion

Washing meat before marinating is not necessary. Washing your meats may actually remove some of their natural flavors, so there's no need to wash the surface of the meat when prepping it for food.

Simply use a paper towel or clean cloth to pat away any excess moisture before cooking.

Never thoroughly wash meat if it's visibly contaminated, but use a paper towel or clean cloth to pat away any excess moisture before cooking.

Washing meat is not necessary when freezing, because the process keeps bacteria at bay until it's defrosted.

Always remember to wash your hands and cutting boards after working with raw meat to prevent the spread of germs.

Also, never re-freeze foods that have thawed completely.

I hope this article answers your question. So next time you should not worry about washing your meat before marinating it.

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Source: https://foodsquestions.com/wash-meat-before-marinating/

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