Kosher Meat

The most difficult aspect of living a totally kosher lifestyle is that of dealing with meat products for consumption. Meat is considered kosher only if the animal from which the meat comes from has split hooves and chews its cud. Further, meat must be slaughtered in compliance with Jewish law, using special customs and traditions for slaughtering the animal. And finally, in order for meat to be considered kosher, it must be handled and cooked separately from dairy products. Only until meat meets all of those stringent criteria can it then be called kosher.

Keeping yourself entirely kosher can prove difficult unless you have a kosher butcher in your neighborhood. Kosher butchers are devout and expert at obeying and following Jewish law as it concerns the slaughter, handling, and packaging of meats. While it takes added time and preparation to remain kosher, serving kosher meats at your dinner table does not detract from the taste of the meat. In fact, when kosher meats are served, there is no difference in the way they look, smell, or taste than with other, non-kosher, meats. Here are some tips and points to consider when preparing and serving kosher meats:

• Take care to ensure that the meat you purchase has been slaughtered and prepared by a kosher butcher.
• Within 72 hours of purchase, wash the meat thoroughly and then allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes to prepare it for the salting process.
• After the meat has soaked, salt it with kosher salt, allowing the meat to lie on a cutting board for one hour.
• After one hour, rinse and drain the meat.

Once the process is complete, the meat is considered kosher and can be used in your favorite recipe. Just a few kosher meat recipes include meatloaf, meatballs, kreplach, rib roast, pepper steak, cabbage rolls, Texas chili, baked salami, and beef stew. So, you see, you can make any dish you'd like once you make sure that the meat it kosher.

For cooks who would rather serve a meat substitute, try using tofu. Tofu is formed from soybean liquid. The remaining curd is pressed into a block called tofu. Tofu is extremely high in protein and absorbs the taste of the food you mix it with. In other words, if you add it to beef flavored stock, it will taste like beef. If you don't have any kosher meat on hand, consider serving a dish that includes tofu.