Here’s The Real Reason Black People Wash Their Chicken Before Cooking

Black people have been washing chicken, steak, and just about every other kind of meat since forever, and no, not with dish soap (despite that one viral video that haunts us all). It’s a sacred kitchen ritual, passed down through generations and across the diaspora. Whether it’s lemon, lime, vinegar, or a combo of all three, mixed with a touch of water, that citrusy rinse isn’t just about cleanliness, it’s about pride, tradition, and making sure your food is really ready before it hits the pan.

In recent years, the internet (and a few food safety experts) have stirred the pot, claiming that washing meat is actually a health hazard and that didn’t sit well with millions of Black people worldwide. For example, back in 2018, West Indian Canadian politician Marci Ien boldly stood her ground on CTV’s The Social, proudly declaring herself a meat-washer. She revealed that she always uses “a little bit of lemon” to get her chicken squeaky clean before cooking. Meanwhile, her white co-hosts suggested it was safer to just rip open the chicken pack and toss it straight into the pan — raw juices and all — to avoid spreading bacteria.

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Interestingly, Ien’s co-hosts weren’t just speaking from personal preference. Their take sounded very similar to findings uncovered in a 2019 USDA study. According to the research, washing raw poultry or meat can increase the risk of spreading harmful bacteria around the kitchen, especially when proper handwashing and sink sanitizing aren’t happening. Basically, those raw meat juices can splatter everywhere, turning your sink and nearby surfaces into a bacteria playground.

Instead of rinsing, the USDA recommended killing off any illness-causing germs the old-fashioned way, by cooking your meat to a safe internal temperature.

Here’s why Black people wash their chicken.

Black folks didn’t want to hear that mess. They made their passion for the century-old cooking technique known in the comments section of The Social’s post on the debate. Standing in solidarity with Ien, some noted how it was a surefire way of getting rid of slime, blood, or unpleasant residue off the chicken, while others claimed that it was not only a crucial part of the cleaning process, but another way to add flavor and depth to poultry and raw meat.

“Washing or rinsing off bacteria and slime on meat is a must… water with vinegar or a little lime doesn’t hurt anyone,” wrote one Black Instagram user.

Another penned, “I was taught you must wash (with Lemon juice) AND season (with “fresh” green herbs) your meat properly before cooking! The No Touch Rip-N-Tip bags your co-host was reporting about doesn’t make sense to me.”

While a third added, “It’s important to wash meat followed by disinfecting kitchen surfaces. I mean do we question the washing of fruits?”