Kosher Food
Paul S. Wolf (aa854@CLEVELAND.FREENET.EDU)
Thu, 21 Apr 1994 13:36:48 -0400
In reply to Matt's request, here is a SHORT introduction to the Laws of
Kashruth (Kosher food):
1. To be kosher, red meat must:
a. Come from an animal that has split hooves and chews its cud
cattle, bison, deer, lamb, and goat are OK
NO pork, horsemeat, elephant, etc.
b. Only the forequarter is normally used, due to a prohibition on
eating a sinew which is extremelty difficult to remove.
Rib Steaks, chuck, brisket, etc are OK
NO T-bone, Tenderloin, Sirloin, Butt, etc.
c. Come from an animal that has been slaughtered in a specific
ritual manner (Throat is slit with a single stroke, cutting the
Jugular veins, Carotid arteries, and some nerves, making the death
instantaneous)
d. After slaughter and butchering, the meat must be soaked in cold
water, covered with coarse salt, allowed to sit, then rinsed off.
This draws all blood out of the meat (Not required if meat is
broiled)
2. Poultry - only certain species are permitted. Basically no predators
like Hawks, eagles, etc. Permitted are Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Goose (not
Canadian Geese). Slaughter must be as described above, and soaking and
salting as well.
3. Dairy products - OK if from a Kosher animal (i.e. no Pig milk, etc)
There are restrictions on some cheeses due to the rennet used to curdle the
milk.
4. Fish - must have fins and scales. This applies to anything that lives
in the sea, thus no Shark, shellfish, dolphin, seal, turtle, etc.
5. swarming things - There are certain species of locusts which are Kosher,
but who cares? ;-)
6. Mixing of meat products (including poultry) with dairy products is
strictly prohibitted. They may not be served at the same meal. Separate
dishes, pots, silverware, etc. must be used, which have never been in
contact with the other, and never in contact with non-kosher food.
7. Fruit and Vegetable products are, for the most part, Kosher. There are
some rules regarding Wine and other products made from Grape Juice.
8. Kosher products at the store: If you look in your pantry, you will
undoubtedly find many kosher products. A number of organizations provide
manufacturers a service of checking their ingredients and processes and
certifying their products as Kosher. To indicate their certification, they
put small symbols on the packages. These include:
__ __
/\ / \ / \ |------|
/ \ | | | | | Ko | and many others.
/cRc \ | U | | K | |------|
------ \__/ \__/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ These are U or K in a circle (They look
like the Trademark symbol (R in a circle).
Look for the Circle K on Hunts products, the Circle U on Entemann's,
A-1 Sauce, etc.
A "K" alone usually means that the manufacturer is saying that the product
is Kosher, but has not had an impartial outside agency certify this.
9. On some products, the word PARVE or PAREVE appears. This means that
the product contains no meat or dairy products, and can be used with either.
--
Paul S. Wolf aa854@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu
Sysop, The Freenet Scouting Center President, Great Lakes Region
Greater Cleveland Council, BSA Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
