"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:28:14 -0700 (PDT), spamtrap1888
> > wrote:
>
>>My mom always rinsed the chicken. I'm not about to start questioning
>>things she did -- I'll be immobilized for hours.
>
> http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/...ty/index.asp#1
>

from that link:

Washing Meat and Poultry
Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not
recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other
foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.

Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or
poultry safe. However, some of the bacteria are so tightly attached that you
could not remove them no matter how many times you washed. But there are
other types of bacteria that can be easily washed off and splashed on the
surfaces of your kitchen. Failure to clean these contaminated areas can lead
to foodborne illness. Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, and grilling) to
the right temperature kills the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary.

Using a food thermometer is the only sure way of knowing if your food has
reached a high enough temperature to destroy foodborne bacteria. Cook all
raw beef and veal steaks, roasts, and chops to a minimum internal
temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing
meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at
least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal
preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.