Jamaican Cookery

So, I wanted to talk a bit about why Jamaicans often wash their meat, particularly chicken, before cooking it. It's actually a pretty common practice in Jamaica, and there are a few reasons why we do it.

First off, let's talk about chicken. In Jamaica, we tend to use "real" chicken, which means it's free-range and not mass-produced like a lot of the chicken you might find in other parts of the world. Because of this, the chicken often has a slimy texture to it, which some people find off-putting.

To get rid of the slime, we typically wash the chicken in a mixture of lime juice or white vinegar and water. Lime juice is preferred, but it can be pretty expensive in Jamaica, so we often use white vinegar as a cheaper alternative. Another option that's not as commonly used is all-purpose flour, which can also help get rid of the slime.

But it's not just chicken that we wash before cooking - we also wash pork, beef, and goat meat. This helps to get rid of any dirt or debris that might be on the meat, as well as any hairs that might still be attached. We want our meat to be as clean as possible before we start cooking it!

And it's not just meat that we wash, either. Fruits and vegetables also need to be washed thoroughly before we eat them. This helps to get rid of any dirt or bacteria that might be on them, which can help keep us healthy.

Of course, washing our food isn't the only thing we do to ensure it's safe to eat. We also make sure to cook our meat properly to kill any bacteria that might be present. This is especially important when it comes to chicken, as undercooked chicken can be dangerous to eat.

So there you have it - a little bit about why Jamaicans wash our meat and other foods before cooking them. It's just one of the many ways we take care to ensure our food is as safe and healthy as possible!