Here’s The Real Reason Black People Wash Their Chicken Before Cooking - Page 2

Black food bloggers Epicurious Expeditions and Being Grace weren’t shy about their love for washing meat either. For the former, it was less about following the rules and more about using common sense. She argued that you never know what goes down at the factory, maybe someone dropped that chicken on the floor, maybe it rolled past a rat, or maybe a worker tracked in who-knows-what from outside. So, a good lemon-and-water scrub? That’s just basic damage control.

And it’s not just about mystery germs. Grace explained that she washes her chicken to get rid of any extra fat or flabby skin she has zero intention of eating. My mom’s the same way. She trims that chicken like she’s giving it a haircut and swears that it not only makes it healthier, but that it will taste better.

I’ve never seen anyone in my family get sick from washing chicken with lemon, a touch of vinegar and water. While food safety experts may raise an eyebrow, there’s no denying that this tradition is rooted in something deeper than just cleanliness; it’s cultural, historical, and personal.

In her 2022 article Why Do Black People Wash Chicken?, writer Brandi Crawford explored the historical roots of this practice, tracing it back to the era of slavery. Enslaved Africans were often given the least desirable cuts of meat, scraps and leftovers deemed unfit by slave owners. These included things like pig intestines (used to make chitterlings or chitlins), oxtail, chicken and turkey necks, hog jowls, and pig feet. 

“To be direct, these areas of the animal smell awful. It would make sense why Blacks would want to give all of this food a thorough cleaning,” Crawford theorized.

Despite these limitations, the ancestors found ways to clean, season, and transform these cuts into flavorful, nourishing meals, a legacy of resilience and resourcefulness that continues to influence Black cooking today. So, while the food safety debate rages on, for many, washing meat isn’t just about hygiene, it’s about honoring tradition, reclaiming a narrative, and adding a touch of ancestral care to every dish. At the end of the day, whether you’re Team Wash or Team Sear-It-As-Is, one thing’s for sure: this convo is about more than just meat, it’s about culture, comfort, and how we all bring flavor to the kitchen in our own way.

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