Paper or Cotton towels while prepping meat?

[indaswamp]

So as the title says, what does everyone use and why?

I use paper when I am making sausage and salami for cross contamination and sanitation. When I am BBQing and smoking, I use cotton kitchen towels.

 

[Brokenhandle]

I use paper towels when processing meat. Even though I wear disposable gloves it's always wiping something off. Figure for food safety wise it's better

Ryan

 

[noboundaries]

Paper towels, here. Used to use gloves until they became scarce and pricy. Now I just wash my bare hands instead of gloved hands a half dozen times or more to prevent cross contam.

 

[Fueling Around]

I use gloves for mixing and kneading bread dough and dry with cloth towels after washing.
I use gloves for processing cured meats and dry with cloth towels after washing.
For most other handling I use bare hands and dry with paper towels. I've found that gloved hands wash cleaner. I just really don't like using gloves, but should get in the habit.

 

[tallbm]

Paper towels and I have a bottle of 99% isopropyl alcohol in a bottle to spray down tools and surfaces for a quick wipe and dry to sanitize things as needed.

Yes bleach and water works better and may not leave any micro residue but the alcohol is so much more convenient since it wants to dry super fast and I'm not worried about trace amounts of alcohol left behind on the surface of anything I'm using after it's completely dried away.

Never had any issues or tasted any thing differently etc. Works and makes things move fast! :)

I also use non powder latex gloves. I've never gone full blown nitrile food gloves, etc.

 

[DougE]

I use paper towels when processing meat. Even though I wear disposable gloves it's always wiping something off. Figure for food safety wise it's better

Ryan

I pretty much do the same as Ryan. I glove up for any processing work, and use paper towels to wipe off, or if my gloves get too gunked up, wash them off, dry with paper towels, and go back to it.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Paper here also, wife complains about extra laundry, I’m fine with that, so paper makes sense. When I mechanic on stuff it’s those blue Scott towels. Wipe off and throw out. So meat is just paper towels Too.

 

[DougE]

I feel like it is more sanitary to wipe off with paper towels, chuck them in the trash and get a new one next time you need to wipe your hands off than it is to keep wiping off on the same cotton towel.

 

[pineywoods]

Paper Towels here as well and disposable gloves. Last few times I've been to Harbor Freight there were no limits on how many boxes of gloves you could buy so stocked back up.

 

[Steve H]

Both here. Big messes I use paper. And cotton towels for my hands.

 

[Cajun Smokes]

Paper for process and prep & cotton for cooking.

 

[JLeonard]

Paper towels here. I buy extra rolls when I'm planning to do a big cook. And gloves when messing with meat and etc. And my wife says you could do surgery on our counters. I use a antimicrobial spray to clean them before and after prepping meats. Been a nurse for way too long and dont want anyone getting sick from what I cook.
Jim

 

[indaswamp]

I bought a 32oz. bottle of Star-San surface sanitizer when I started making salami for cleaning equipment, tubs, etc...1 oz. will make 5 gallons so it will last a while. I spray counter tops with it too.
I do glove up when mixing sausage and salami, or when curing meats as it is not recommended to allow the cure to touch your hands, it will absorb.

One tip-buy cheap poly liner gloves at walmart to wear under latex gloves when mixing sausage. Your hands will not freeze, and the meat will stay colder.

 

[912smoker]

Jim I smoked chicked quarters last night and had the cutting board and knife in the sink to hand scrub. Daughter, trying to help, was going to put it in the dishwasher ....wife let out a scream not to touch his board lol.
Gloves when prepping and paper towels for clean up. I do carry hand towel to the grill for touch ups them wash on the heavy cycle.

 

[motocrash]

Paper here and gloves for mixing and larger processes.

tallbm Alcohol is a better sterilizer when mixed with water, it allows permeation of cell walls.

" The presence of water is a crucial factor in destroying or inhibiting the growth of pathogenic microorganisms with isopropyl alcohol. Water acts as a catalyst and plays a key role in denaturing the proteins of vegetative cell membranes. 70% IPA solutions penetrate the cell wall more completely which permeates the entire cell, coagulates all proteins, and therefore the microorganism dies. Extra water content slows evaporation, therefore increasing surface contact time and enhancing effectiveness. Isopropyl alcohol concentrations over 91% coagulate proteins instantly. Consequently, a protective layer is created which protects other proteins from further coagulation. "

Why Is 70% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) a Better Disinfectant than 99% Isopropanol, and What Is IPA Used For? (gotopac.com)

 

[indaswamp]

Good info moto!

 

[JLeonard]

Jim I smoked chicked quarters last night and had the cutting board and knife in the sink to hand scrub. Daughter, trying to help, was going to put it in the dishwasher ....wife let out a scream not to touch his board lol.
Gloves when prepping and paper towels for clean up. I do carry hand towel to the grill for touch ups them wash on the heavy cycle.

LOL! Same here. The family has finally learned to leave Pops stuff alone.
Jim

 

[DougE]

Paper Towels here as well and disposable gloves. Last few times I've been to Harbor Freight there were no limits on how many boxes of gloves you could buy so stocked back up.

I like the Harbor Freight 7 mil nitrile gloves. When I get done prepping or mixing, I just wash my gloved hands, and put the gloves up for next time. You can get quite a few uses out of them as long as you're careful taking them off.

 

[SmokyMose]

So as the title says, what does everyone use and why?

I use paper when I am making sausage and salami for cross contamination and sanitation. When I am BBQing and smoking, I use cotton kitchen towels.

Pretty much the same. The only time I wear nitriles is while mixing sausage. Kitchen towels don't blow away with the wind as easily..
I will admit that I wipe my hands on the apron a lot while grinding and stuffing, but the apron gets washed after every use.
I've always been a compulsive hand washer and I haven't killed anyone yet.....

 

[tallbm]

Paper here and gloves for mixing and larger processes.

tallbm Alcohol is a better sterilizer when mixed with water, it allows permeation of cell walls.

" The presence of water is a crucial factor in destroying or inhibiting the growth of pathogenic microorganisms with isopropyl alcohol. Water acts as a catalyst and plays a key role in denaturing the proteins of vegetative cell membranes. 70% IPA solutions penetrate the cell wall more completely which permeates the entire cell, coagulates all proteins, and therefore the microorganism dies. Extra water content slows evaporation, therefore increasing surface contact time and enhancing effectiveness. Isopropyl alcohol concentrations over 91% coagulate proteins instantly. Consequently, a protective layer is created which protects other proteins from further coagulation. "

Why Is 70% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) a Better Disinfectant than 99% Isopropanol, and What Is IPA Used For? (gotopac.com)

Thanks for the info! Adding a little water will stretch it even further :D