You may have heard that washing your food before cooking it keeps you from getting sick and stops you from eating dirt. Advertisement.
That’s definitely true most of the time, but there are some foods that can become unsafe or tasteless after being rinsed.
As a passionate home cook and seafood lover, I’m always seeking ways to maximize flavor and freshness when cooking fish. One preparation step I’ve gone back and forth on is rinsing fish under water before cooking. Some chefs insist it’s essential, while others argue it does more harm than good. What’s the real verdict – to rinse or not to rinse?
In this article, I’ll examine the reasons for and against rinsing fish, when it should and shouldn’t be done, and proper techniques to rinse fish safely. My goal is to provide a definitive guide to handling raw fish correctly so you can enjoy the full briny glory of the ocean’s bounty. Let’s dive in!
The Case For Rinsing Fish Before Cooking
Here are the main reasons often cited for giving fish a rinse before it hits the pan or grill:
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Removes fishy odors from surface bacteria Rinsing can flush away temporary off-odors,
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Cleans away blood, scales and slime. Helps remove vestiges from the butchering process.
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Reduces excess sodium if fish was brined. A quick rinse prevents overly salty flavor.
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Washes off grit or grime from skin. Helps loosen sand and dirt.
Key Proponents: Celebrity chefs like Julia Child and Jacques Pepin traditionally call for rinsing fish to freshen it up. Many cooks rinse by habit or technique passed down through generations.
Reasons Against Washing Fish Before Cooking
However, a growing chorus of experts advocate skipping the rinse entirely for these reasons:
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Spreads bacteria throughout kitchen. Splashing water can contaminate surfaces up to 3 feet away.
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Leads to cross-contamination. Bacteria transferred from raw fish to hands, sink and utensils.
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Doesn’t kill bacteria. Only cooking to proper temperature neutralizes pathogens.
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Removes protective slime layer on fish. This layer helps prevent bacterial invasion.
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Alters texture and flavor. Waterlogging makes fish drier and less flaky after cooking.
Key Opponents: Food scientists, consumer agencies like the USDA, and many pro chefs now advise against rinsing to promote food safety.
When You Should (and Shouldn’t) Rinse Fish
Given the valid points on both sides, my conclusion is that rinsing fish before cooking is ideal only in certain circumstances. Here are my guidelines on when to rinse fish and when it’s better to skip it:
Rinse Fish In These Situations:
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Raw fish has a strong unpleasant odor. A quick rinse removes temporary surface bacteria causing off-smells.
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Fish was brined or cured. Rinsing removes excess salt or spices from the brining liquid.
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Fish has visible blood, scales or grime. Washing away residual bits from butchering or harvesting.
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Cooking a whole fish. A rinse clears out blood and organs still inside cavity.
Avoid Rinsing Fish:
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Fresh, sashimi-grade fish. Skip rinsing pristine cuts meant for raw consumption.
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Farm-raised fish. Aquaculture fish is purged and cleaned at processing plants.
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Fish has a protective spice rub. Washing away a rub or crust removes flavor.
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Fish fillets look clean. There’s no benefit to rinsing an already clean piece of fish.
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You’re pan-searing fish skin-on. Keeping skin dry prevents it from sticking to the pan.
Safest Way to Rinse Fish in the Sink
If a recipe calls for rinsing or you determine it’s needed, do it carefully to prevent bacteria splashing around your kitchen:
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Clear sink of all other items first. Remove cutting boards, strainers, sponges etc.
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Cover surrounding countertops with paper towels to contain water spray.
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Fill sink with a few inches of cold water. Use a gentle stream – no high pressure!
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Hold fish low in the sink basin without touching sides. Rinse briefly.
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Dry fish VERY thoroughly with clean paper towels. Don’t let moisture linger.
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Immediately wash hands, surfaces, sink and utensils that touched raw fish.
Should You Cook Fish Directly From Package?
Many chefs now advise cooking fish straight from the package without rinsing first. For example, you can go directly from package to pan when:
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Fish looks and smells fresh. No rinsing needed if no unpleasant odors.
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Following a recipe that doesn’t specify rinsing. It’s often an unnecessary step.
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Wanting to preserve texture. Skipping a rinse prevents moisture loss.
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Pan-searing fish with skin. Keeping skin dry helps it get crispy.
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Cooking fish right away. The heat from cooking kills any bacteria present.
Does Rinsing Improve Fish Safety?
A motivating factor for rinsing fish is eliminating bacteria that could cause foodborne illness. However, research shows rinsing does not improve the safety of fish:
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Washing only removes surface bacteria. It does not kill pathogens lurking below the surface.
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Chlorine in tap water cannot sanitize raw fish. Only cooking to 145°F neutralizes bacteria.
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Wet environments actually help bacteria spread and multiply faster.
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Health risks come from ingesting bacteria, not external contact.
The only way to kill bacteria and parasites in fish is through proper cooking. Rinsing should be done for quality, not safety.
Should You Dry Fish After Rinsing?
If you do rinse fish prior to cooking, it’s imperative to dry it VERY thoroughly afterwards. Here’s why:
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Lingering moisture alters texture. Fish becomes soggy instead of light and flaky.
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Moisture prevents browning. Water on the surface repels oil and inhibits the Maillard reaction.
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Wetness dilutes flavor. Fish tastes blander when covered in water.
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Breading won’t adhere. Coatings slide right off damp fish.
Blot fish extremely well with clean paper towels after rinsing and let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow residual moisture to evaporate before cooking.
How to Store Fish Safely After Rinsing
It’s best to cook fish right after rinsing to prevent bacteria growth. But if waiting to cook:
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Dry fish thoroughly and wrap in clean paper towels, not plastic wrap.
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Place wrapped fish on a pan lined with fresh paper towels or parchment paper.
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Keep chilled over ice packs or frozen gel packs, not just refrigerated.
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Cook within 6 hours of rinsing. Don’t let fish linger too long after getting wet.
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Discard any juices that leach out as fish sits. This liquid could harbor bacteria.
Alternative Options to Rinsing Fish
If you decide not to rinse fish, here are some other options to freshen it up:
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Dry brining: Salt fish lightly and let rest on a rack in the fridge. Osmosis draws out moisture.
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Rub with citrus: A little lemon, lime or grapefruit juice adds fresh flavor.
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Marinate in acid: Quickly “cook” fish in vinegar, wine or yogurt. Denatures proteins.
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Rub with oil: Coat fish in oil infused with herbs and garlic.
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Layer flavors underneath: Stuff aromatics like onions and herbs inside cavity before roasting.
The Final Verdict on Rinsing Fish
After extensive research and testing different techniques in my kitchen, here’s my final guidance on rinsing fish:
Rinse judiciously. Only rinse fish when needed to remove blood, odor or excess brine. Otherwise, pat dry and start cooking.
Handle with care. If rinsing, do so gently and safely. Contain splashing and immediately sanitize anything the water contacted.
Dry thoroughly. Always blot fish very dry after rinsing to prevent texture and flavor impairment.
Season creatively. Skip the rinse and use dry brines, rubs and stuffings to freshen up fish instead.
When in doubt, cook fish directly from package. For many recipes, rinsing just isn’t necessary and adds risk of cross-contamination.
Eggs in the US have already received a very intense scrubbing.
According to NPR, eggs in the US have already been cleaned very well before they get to your breakfast table.
Chicken eggs naturally have a nearly visible protective coating. This coating is a very effective guard against bacteria. In the US, eggs are washed using a machine that shampoos them with soap and water. This removes the protective coating along with salmonella bacteria, which means that US eggs need to be refrigerated to keep them fresh.
Most European countries skip washing their eggs in favor of vaccinating chickens against salmonella. This means that European eggs are usually stored at room temperature and keep fresh much longer.
To get rid of dirt and other things that might be on your eggs in Europe, you might want to rinse them before you eat them. In the US, however, its an unnecessary step. Advertisement.
Washing chicken can actually increase your risk of food poisoning.
Giving your chicken a good wash in the sink can actually make you more likely to get sick, despite what you might think.
“By washing raw chicken in the sink, you are likely to spread the bacteria all over your kitchen, including clean surfaces like countertops, through splashing and dripping,” Eric Sieden, director of nutrition and food services for Glen Cove, Plainview, and Syosset Hospitals told Readers Digest.
Sieden also emphasized that the only way to truly kill bacteria on raw chicken is to cook it. Advertisement
How to Clean, Descale, and Gut a Fresh Fish
Should you rinse fish before cooking?
The question posed “Should you rinse fish to prep it for cooking?” has a resounding answer of “Yes, you most definitely should.” Fish, unlike raw red meat and poultry, is ameliorated by rinsing as it removes the yellow gunk from the flesh, toning down its fishy odor and improving its taste.
How can I prepare fish for kids?
This is really dependent on the personal preference of your children. Some children will eat fish the same way adults do for others you may need to make this more interesting by creating things like homemade fishcakes, fish burger patties, fish balls or by adding this to toast or even pasta. Involving your children in the preparation and cooking process can also encourage them to consume the fish.
How do you clean fish before cooking?
This applies to whole fish and pieces of fish, fresh-caught or packaged and refrigerated. “Rinse cleaned whole fish and precut pieces thoroughly in cold running water,” American culinary writer Harold McGee says in Keys to Good Cooking, “scraping away any residual blood or organs from the belly cavity, then blot it dry.”
Should you wash raw fish before cooking?
Instead of washing your raw fish, you should cook it to the proper temperature to kill off harmful bacteria. Per the USDA, that temperature is 145 degrees F. If the fish is wet, pat it dry with a paper towel before you start cooking it, so that it will sear properly and to prevent it from getting tough and mushy.