Autism-informed meat handling
Mike draws on a seminar in Dubai about exotic Arabian food. The advice: if you have severe autism, rubbing meat with your hands necessitates washing instantly afterward before grabbing any container, because then you imagine meat juice on the container and it festers, creating a long-lasting mental irritation. This is framed as a thought pattern that may be toxic if not managed. By pre-placing spices in a 'giblet pile', he avoids having to touch the containers at all after starting. This approach integrates sensory challenges into cooking routines, making the task bearable.
The mental mechanism: avoiding the sensory memory of 'meat juice on a container' that festers and drives you insane.
Mike says he learned this in Dubai and now employs it when forced to cook. He demonstrates by laying out salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and pepper in a little pile, then rubbing oil on the turkey, immediately expressing disgust and washing hands. He still finds it difficult, but acknowledges the pre-arrangement helped conceptually.
What I'm going to do is something I learned in ... Dubai ... if you have severe autism, the act of rubbing meat with your hands necessitates you wash your hands instantly afterwards before grabbing any kind of container because then you have meat juice on a container and you imagine that that festers for a long time and it drives you insane.