According to the USDA, you should NOT rinse raw poultry or other meats in an attempt to wash off the bacteria. There will still be plenty of germs imbedded in the flesh, while the remaining salmonella, listeria, or E. coli will become suspended in a cloud which will settle over every square inch of your kitchen and any exposed utensils—similar to the toothbrush-contaminating fecal mist which you generate every time you flush the toilet. Instead, you should get the fowl straight into the oven with the minimum amount of handling possible. Heat is the only way you will get your turkey sterile.
The fact that your grandmother washed her turkeys for years and never got sick from the process is not proof that she was right--only that she was lucky.
Good to know, thanks.
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