Why Do 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.

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?”

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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