Should You Wash Ground Beef?

 Should You Wash Ground Beef?

**No, you should not wash ground beef.**

### 🛑 Here’s Why:

#### 1. **It Spreads Bacteria**

Washing raw ground beef under running water can cause dangerous bacteria like *E. coli* and *Salmonella* to **splash** onto your sink, countertop, and surrounding kitchen surfaces — increasing the risk of cross-contamination.

#### 2. **It Doesn’t Remove Bacteria**

Cooking is the **only effective way** to kill bacteria in meat. Washing it with water or vinegar won’t remove harmful pathogens — it just spreads them around.

#### 3. **It Can Alter the Texture**

Introducing extra water to ground beef before cooking can make it steam instead of sear, resulting in **less flavor and a soggy texture** rather than a nice brown crust.

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### ✅ What You *Should* Do Instead:

* **Open the package carefully.** Use clean utensils to handle the meat.

* **Cook thoroughly.** Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of **160°F (71°C)** to ensure it's safe to eat.

* **Sanitize all surfaces** after handling raw meat — cutting boards, knives, counters, and your hands.

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### 👩‍🍳 Bottom Line:

**Skip the rinse.** Let the heat do the sanitizing, and keep your kitchen safer (and your beef tastier) by cooking it properly.

Need tips for cooking or seasoning ground beef safely and deli

ciously? I’ve got you covered!