Let’s face it, with the ongoing pandemic; we’ve been stocking food much more right now than we used to earlier on! And with that comes in queries about looking out for ways which can be used to store raw poultry in the best way!
But when you have a question on your mind, who better than us can help you out? And for that, all you would have to do is start scrolling down. Below we have given you a complete guide that will help you store poultry in the best way.
So, let’s dive right in to find out which is the best way that can be used to store raw poultry! Here’s what you need to do!
Table of Contents
What is the Importance of Proper Handling and Storage of Poultry?
Before we go any further with this, let’s find out the importance of handling and storing the poultry in the best way.
When raw chicken is kept out for long, it increases the chances of getting rotten. Why? That’s because the air outside supports the growth of bacteria in the chicken. All of which makes it impossible for the meat to remain fresh.
So, ideally, storing the poultry at the correct temperature is very important. If the temperature outside is more than 40-degree F, then you increase the chances of the poultry getting bad, as it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
And consuming this kind of meat can lead to several ailments. You’ll be surprised to know that, at times, rotten meat can cause death as well. So, you better get going with our following segment that gives you an in-depth idea about how to keep raw poultry fresh.
4 Thumb-Rules You Must Follow To Keep Raw Poultry Fresh
Which can be used to store poultry? Well, let’s find out right away!
· Cleaning Time
When you are handling poultry, make sure you’ve washed your hands thoroughly. Ideally, using some lukewarm water to wash your hands is best. Once you are done with that, start washing the containers.
Pick a nice container to keep the poultry. It’s always best to use an airtight container to store the raw poultry. However, if you don’t have one, you can use some utensils like bowls to keep the meat. But make sure that it is absolutely clean and dry. Wash it well, and air dry it for a while.
We wouldn’t advise you to wash the raw poultry because you will increase the chances of cross-contamination. So, make sure you are not washing the raw poultry.
· Take Plastic Wraps
Before you put it into a container, start using plastic wrap. These are readily available at stores and can be great to keep the chicken fresh.
Also, ensure that you are wrapping the raw poultry tightly. This is because, at times, when you lightly wrap your chicken, it tends to leave out on some juices. All of which causes the chicken to lose out on its tastes and flavors. So, make sure that you are not lightly wrapping the chicken.
· Put it in an airtight container.
This is usually done at home, where you don’t have a whole load of chicken to store. Once you have wrapped the chicken well, you can put it into an airtight container to ensure that the meat remains fresh.
However, if you are not commercially using it, consuming the chicken within a few days of storage is ideal. Eating meat that is fresh is always good for our health.
· Keep it in the lower-most section.
Ideally, keeping the chicken at the lowermost section is best. It’s the coolest part of the refrigerator and keeps the chicken fresh. Any temperature going over 40-degree F is not good as it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
Why Must You Use the Bottom-Most Part to Store Raw Poultry?
Well, this is something everyone comes up with. And we thought of answering this question for you. When you are storing meat, make sure it is kept dry and clean.
This is solely because raw meat might drip out juices. And if you don’t keep it at the bottom-most shelf, it might drip into your fridge and get into your other foods, which is definitely something that you wouldn’t want.
Moreover, the bottom-most part of the fridge is the coolest. So, to keep the poultry fresh, one needs to ensure that the meat gets the coldest temperature. And that is only possible when you keep it in the freezer.
Poultry Storage Temperature Celsius!
Now that we’ve spoken about why you must keep your chicken at the right temperature and what side effects it might have if it’s not stored properly, let’s check out the most important part.
What’s the correct temperature at which your raw poultry must be stored in?
Let’s find out!
Freezers generally have a temperature of around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. And that’s the best temperature to store your chicken. However, if the temperature of your freezer happens to be lower than that, there is no harm.
Final Thoughts
As we come to the end of our blog today, we hope you know exactly how to keep your chicken fresh and, most importantly, why you need to store it well.
Mishandling can cause the chicken to get spoilt, which can leave adverse effects on your health. Diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning, kidney-related problems are common when you consume meat that hasn’t been stored well. And it doesn’t just end there! Some people even die because of this. And that’s not a risk any of us would want to take.
So, make sure that you use our tips to keep the chicken fresh and don’t miss out on consuming it within two days after you buy it.
