You will have probably heard from your mother or grandmother the importance of washing your meat well and in many cultures it is considered an indicator of cleanliness in the kitchen... Is it necessary though or even more importantly is it safe?

Shall I wash or shall I not?
The short answer is that we should NOT wash or rinse our meat, as per the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, who says "Do not rinse your raw beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, or veal before cooking it". The same applies if you are planning to freeze or marinate your meat. The very reason you are rinsing meat - to clean it - is doing more harm than good. By rinsing the raw animal proteins we increase the risk of cross-contamination. Any pathogens (bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria etc and viruses like Norovirus and Hepatitis A) that are on the meat, will fly off the meat as you rinse, will latch onto the water droplets of the microscopic mist and then land on other food nearby, the kitchen counter, sink, in the mouth or nostrils and on your clothes.

Is it safe to eat the meat without washing it first?
Yes, if cooked properly. Any bacteria on the meat will die during cooking. It is highly advisable to use a food thermometer, as this is the only sure way of knowing if your food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy food-borne bacteria and most thermometers will show what is the right internal temperature for each meat type (poultry requiring the highest). For safety and quality allow your meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming (if you cut the meat too soon, you lose all those juices!).

How can we clean the meat then?
You can remove any visible particles, bones or dirt with a paper towel. I personally prefer to slowly dip it in a bowl with water and gently scrub off any dirt or bones, making sure I don't splash the water (and the bacteria) around.
Once you lift the meat out of the bowl or the butcher paper or remove it from the wrap, you should dry off any existing moisture carefully with paper towels before placing the meat in the pan. Then throw the towels away. And wash your hands really well, ideally for more than 10 seconds and with as warm (hot) water as you can stand. Then boil water in your kettle and pour over your sink, counter, utensils, cutting board and anything that came in contact with the raw meat. All should be washed with hot soapy water.