Kosher Beef

Kosher Beef

Kosher beef comes from cows that that have been slaughtered and prepared in accordance with the laws of kashrut. Torah law states that Jewish people are permitted to eat animals that chew their cud and have split hooves. Orthodox Jews take these laws very seriously.

Kosher Slaughter

Kosher cooking of meat begins with kosher slaughter. When cattle are slaughtered, the shochet, or trained ritual slaughterer uses a very sharp special sharp blade, or chalet to sever the jugular vein, carotid artery, esophagus and trachea in one continuous cutting movement. Doing this avoids unnecessary pain to the animal due to the almost immediate loss of consciousness.

The animal will be considered unkosher is these steps are not taken. This method of slaughter also helps to ensure that the most of the blood is drained quickly. Blood is also forbidden to be consumed according to Torah law, and after this first draining, the rest of the blood must be removed by soaking, salting or broiling the meat. This must be completed within 72 hours of the slaughter, so the blood does not congeal.

After the slaughter, its internal organs are checked for any abnormalities that may render the animal unkosher, or treif. The lungs are examined closely to insure that there are no adhesions. This check is called a bedikah.

The animal will also be considered unkosher if it had any kind of medical defect, injury, if it died of natural causes or if it was killed by another animal. It must be completely healthy and viable. The ritual slaughterer must be an Orthodox Jew, pious and well trained in Torah law.

Cooking Kosher Beef

When preparing kosher beef, it must be done in the proper way to insure that it stays kosher. What makes kosher food kosher is not only the preparation of the food, but how it is cooked as well. According to Torah law, kosher cooking must insure the strict separation of meat and dairy foods. In kosher homes, different cutlery and dishware are used for dairy and meat products.

Two Great Kosher Brisket Recipes

Kosher beef doesn't have to be difficult to prepare. One easy kosher brisket recipe would be to take a 10 pound single brisket and combine it with chopped garlic, onions, carrots and potatoes cut into chunks, salt, 3 cans of ginger ale, brown the brisket on all sides in oil and cook, covered, for 3 hours at 300F. The soda should completely cover the brisket. This kosher brisket recipe is sure to be a bit hit.

Kosher cooking can be exciting, too. Here is another kosher brisket recipe that's a lot of fun to prepare. The ingredients are five to seven pounds of brisket, celery salt, onion salt, garlic salt, pepper, liquid smoke, 1/2 a cup of Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and a bottle of barbecue sauce. Sprinkle the brisket with the salts and pepper, cover the brisket with foil and refrigerate it overnight. Then season it with Worcestershire sauce and cook it at 300F for three hours. Uncover the brisket and pour barbecue sauce over it, and cook it for an additional hour uncovered before slicing it. These delicious dishes are also a part of what makes kosher food kosher. Orthodox Jews all over the world have been making delicacies for centuries.

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