Ask a chef: can you eat raw chicken?
Chicken Sashimi (Photo by mio-spr/Flickr)
Question: On No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain ate raw chicken at a izakaya in Japan but said it was safe because those chickens were raised by the chef. Does the risk of salmonella change, depending on where you get your poultry? Are free range chickens bought at a farmer’s market somehow more safe than those purchased at a large chain supermarket?
It is possible for Salmonella can come from any farm (see this link).
Salmonella is a a bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness in humans. They are microscopic living creatures that pass from the feces of people or animals to other people or other animals. This bacteria will sometimes come from chicken.
In reality, there is a lower probability that smaller artisan farmers will provide diseased birds, due mainly to reasons of economics. Smaller artisan farmers take more care to ensure better conditions. But these are just probabilities. The bottom line is that you are not safe from salmonella unless you have somehow eradicated it from the chickens themselves.
You can prepare chicken in such a way that will kill off disease while leaving the flesh cold and uncooked. In Japan, this is called “toriwasa”. The idea is to cook all the of outward facing meat fibers to kill of disease that may have made contact. Since these diseases don’t penetrate into the flesh, deep frying or poaching for just a few minutes will kill off disease. Grilling and saute may do this too, but you have to contend with little nooks that might not get heated to 160 F. You can then slice chicken and eat it with a raw center. It should then be safe from salmonella. It may not, however, appeal to your sense of texture, as raw chicken can be slightly mushy and “weird.” Thus, make sure it is served very cold to help deal with that issue.
I assume the chicken that Anthony Bourdain ate (I have not seen the show) is called “Torisashi”. This is a completely raw chicken preparation. I suspect it’s about as safe as anything else that’s made of raw poultry. You are still at some risk, although I would venture to guess that no self-respecting chef would serve food that could hurt you. So there would hopefully be tremendous care is raising and preparing the birds.
According to most food safety organizations in North America, these preparations are not considered safe.
Question: Would you try raw chicken or “torisashi” if you knew it was safe?
Matt Kantor is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He has worked in kitchens including Picholine (New York), Gayle and Tangerine (Philadelphia), and Fenouil (Portland). He now works in Toronto and runs Little Kitchen, a catering company that will cook fantastic food in your own home. He also cooks for the monthly event, Secret Pickle Supper Club. Follow Matt on Twitter.
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Comments ( 3 )
The texture alone would be enough to keep me from trying it.
MamaB added these pithy words on
May 06 10 at
7:34 am
wow- i love this new blog, Andrea, it is wonderful- congratulations! i eat a lot of raw food- all sorts of meat and seafood, when i lived in italy i ate a lot of gamberi rossi- raw shrimp- a delicacy from Sicily, and white shrimp, too. most people feel ill at the mere thought of it-shrimp is not supposed to be eaten raw, they say. well then they need to make a trip to Italy; their life will change. as for chicken sashimi- if prepared well and youre told it is made from an artisinal farmer, i would most definitely eat it. best wishes for the new blog/site! shayma
shayma added these pithy words on
May 12 10 at
9:50 am
I had chicken sashimi (amongst other unusual foods) whwn living in Japan. I have to say, it was delicious.
Modesty added these pithy words on
Nov 29 10 at
2:38 pm
