Tonight, my mother-in-law cooked dinner with ground beef, but she didn’t rinse it. I couldn’t eat it, and I kept my kids from eating it too. I always rinse ground beef before cooking. I can’t believe she doesn’t do that. Isn’t it necessary?

I hear your concern—it can be unsettling when someone cooks differently than you do, especially when it comes to your kids. Let me clear this up for you:

👉 Rinsing ground beef after browning is not necessary for food safety.

Ground beef becomes safe to eat once it’s cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Any bacteria are killed through proper cooking, not rinsing.

What rinsing does do is wash away some of the melted fat and seasoning, which some people prefer if they want leaner meat or less grease in a dish. But it’s not a requirement.

👉 Why some people rinse: