Of all the meals families share year-round, none are as carefully planned as Thanksgiving dinner. A meal that is months in the making, cooks everywhere are eager to serve a turkey that is both delicious and pleasing to look at. Even so, there is more to preparing a turkey than putting it in the oven. Here are 5 reasons to properly use a food wash before roasting a turkey.

Get Rid of Extra Fluid

One of the obvious reasons to use a food wash for a raw turkey is to wash away extra fluid that has accumulated. Some manufacturers pre-package whole turkeys in a small amount of fluid. Because water expands during freezing, additional fluids come from the turkey as it thaws. Fat and skin often mingle with the liquid. While the liquid the bird sits in is natural, it is unappetizing, and should be cleaned from the turkey during a meat wash as a part of cooking preparations.

Wash Away Germs

It’s hard for consumers to know what happened to a turkey at the processing plant. Sitting in the liquid from the packaging gives bacteria from the factory a chance to settle. It is important to use a cold-water meat wash on any piece of raw poultry to wash away germs. Washing the turkey helps dislodge harmful bacteria like salmonella. Before washing a turkey, sanitize the sink, faucet and counters in the kitchen. This helps limit the turkey’s exposure to more bacteria. Use clean paper towels to pat the turkey dry before marinating or rubbing.

Remove the Innards

Most manufacturers give the consumer the option to use the turkey innards to add flavor to other Thanksgiving dishes. The gizzard, neck, liver and heart of the turkey are placed in a separate bag inside the cavity of the raw turkey. Using a cold-water food wash gives cooks the chance to remove the innards, which can be used to make a tasty gravy or simply discarded. It is also necessary to remove the packaged innards from the turkey in order to rinse out the cavity before stuffing.

Deal with Flaws in the Turkey

Turkeys have a lot of feathers, and plucking one can be a serious undertaking. Even most manufacturers miss a feather follicle here and there. A thorough cold-water meat wash gives the cook a chance to closely examine the bird for any flaws that need to be removed before marinating or roasting. Search for large bumps where feathers once were, and use a knife to remove imperfections. Any gristle or fatty pieces found during the food wash should also be removed before seasoning the turkey.

Improve Flavor

By not rinsing the turkey, cooks are missing the biggest opportunity to add a burst of flavor. Using a food wash helps clear away the flavors of the natural juices from the package, allowing herbs and spices to stick. Rinsing a turkey gives it a fresh start, and makes it easier for it to absorb a marinade. It’s perfectly safe to cook the turkey in juices that accumulate during the marinating process. Remember not to rinse the turkey again after marinating it, as this diminishes the flavor of the finished dish.

Thanksgiving is a special time of the year, but it’s also a busy one. Don’t let other holiday preparations get in the way of proper sanitation. Using a food wash on a raw turkey is the best way to keep friends and family safe from the effects of harmful bacteria. Image Source: Flickr/CreativeCommons/Kristie Moser