Overview of Jewish Kosher Food, Part 2

The following provides more details on which foods are acceptable as Jewish Kosher.

Meat

1. Permitted meats

Beef, veal, venison, mutton, lamb

Notes:

1. The meat must come from animals slaughtered according to the regulations of the Jewish ritual slaughter;

2. Before being used in a recipe, the liver must be broiled, because consuming blood is forbidden.

3. All meat must be soaked or salted, or salted and broiled, to be Kosher. Liver can only become Kosher by broiling.

Ashkenazi Jews usually soak and salt all meat, while Spanish or Portuguese Jews omit this step if roasting the meat. Please note that if meat has not been processed as kosher within three days of slaughter, it can be made Kosher by broiling. For frozen meat, consult the local 'Jewish law' authority.

4. Because the sinews and the fat of certain parts must be removed to eat the meat on the carcass (this is a difficult job requiring special training), filet mignon, oxtail and sirloin steak, leg of lamb and London broil usually do not meet Kosher certification in North America, although they may be Kosher elsewhere in the world.

2. Non-permitted meats

Any animal that does not simultaneously have the characteristics of chewing the cud and having split hooves is non-kosher, such as rabbits or hares, pigs, horses, dogs or cats.

3. Poultry and other birds

The Torah names the non-Kosher birds. Because we are not sure which birds all these ancient Hebrew names refer to, only poultry that has traditionally been eaten is permitted; mainly domesticated, domestic fowl.

Please note that they are considered meat. They must be slaughtered by Jewish ritual slaughter, and are forbidden to be mixed with dairy products, as is meat from other sources.

Permitted poultry: chicken, turkey, quail, Cornish hen/pigeon (squab), goose, duck, pheasant

Note: Before being used in a recipe, the liver must be broiled, because consuming blood is forbidden.

Note: In the United States, the only poultry commercially slaughtered as kosher are: chicken, turkey, duck and goose.

Non-permitted poultry: in most cases, birds of prey are not permitted

Fish

Permitted fish: fish with fins and scales, where the scales can be separated from the skin. Fish meeting the above conditions are all permitted.

Non-permitted fish: all shellfish (shrimp, lobster, clams, oysters, scallops, etc.) and crustaceans (crabs, lobsters/crayfish, etc.).

Scavengers/'bottom-feeding fish' (such as catfish, monkfish), unless they have fins and scales.

Sturgeon (and by extension, sturgeon caviar) and swordfish - some Conservatives argue these are also acceptable (consult the local 'Jewish law' authority).

Fruits, vegetables and grains

All fruits, vegetables and grains are permitted.

Grape products: because in Judaism wine has a sacred use, there is a special legal body controlling grape products. Jews who strictly observe Jewish law use only grape products with proper supervision. This applies to wine, grape juice, grape jelly, grape vinegar and all soft drinks using white grape juice as a sweetener. It does not apply to fresh grapes and raisins.

Note: All Israeli Kosher wines are produced under Passover Kosher conditions. Therefore, they are Passover-Kosher-certified all year round.

Israeli posters need to indicate that all locally produced products must pay a tithe before use. This is usually done for sale in shops and markets, but should be paid by consumers who buy produce directly from the farm (consult the local 'Jewish law' authority).

Separation of meat and dairy

Meat and dairy ingredients are forbidden to be mixed together.

Milk must be cooked and eaten separately from meat.

Meat must be cooked and eaten separately from dairy.

This prohibition against mixing dairy and meat also extends to the plates, utensils, tools and cooking containers used to contact them. In a kosher kitchen, it is necessary to prepare a complete separate set of utensils for dairy and meat. In addition, many extra configurations and equipment are pareve (neutral).

Sephardic Jews traditionally consider glass plates to be neutral (consult the local 'Jewish law' authority).

Cheese

Although cheeses are dairy products, if non-kosher animal-source rennet is used in their production, these cheeses will be non-Kosher.

The Conservative movement has a broader definition of Kosher cheese (consult the local 'Jewish law' authority).

Pareve (neutral) foods

Fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits and grains can be eaten with milk or meat dishes.

Note: Some communities do not allow fish and meat to be cooked together, and some do not allow fish and milk to be cooked together. However, they may appear in the same meal in different dishes and separate utensils. The details and reasons for such practices are not discussed here.

Pareve (neutral) cooking oils, such as vegetable oil and shortening, can be used in milk and meat dishes.

Flour without dairy additives is pareve (neutral).

Other items

Most insects and other 'creeping things' are forbidden. Therefore, snails are non-Kosher, and certain food additives or colorants derived from insects are also non-Kosher.

People who keep a Kosher diet should also pay attention to the use of products containing gelatin, because gelatin may be derived from animals.

The above is a complete overview of Jewish Kosher cuisine. To learn more about other aspects of Jewish Kosher knowledge and certification, please contact SINOQUAL; we will serve you wholeheartedly.