Kosher Butcher – Ensuring the Beef is Kosher

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Kosher is a term that basically means that food and wine are produced in a kosher way.  The food must be certified and the production must be overseen by a rabbi to make sure all criteria are met.  In the case of fruits and vegetables it’s not a problem.  Everything that comes out of the earth such as fruits, vegetables and nuts are kosher as long as they are pure and insect free.  Dairy is kosher as long as it comes from a kosher cow.  Beef is another matter.  The butchering of a cow must be done by a kosher butcher in a very specific way.

A kosher butcher uses a kosher knife that is free from nicks and very sharp.  The butcher cuts the cow’s neck at very specific depth and quickly enough that the cow feels very little pain.  After the cow is butchered it is inspected thoroughly to insure that the cow is free of all illness.  It must be free of all tumors, lung ailments and infestations.  After the cow is certified and determined pure it is butchered.  Blood is considered non kosher so the meat must be properly prepped to be considered kosher for consumption.

The meat is soaked in water to open the pores and then covered in kosher salt.  Kosher salt is a very rough, coarse salt.  The meat is covered in salt on both sides and allowed to sit for a half hour to ninety minutes.  The salt uses the process of osmosis to draw the blood out of the meat. After all the blood is out the salt is disposed of.  Often kosher beef is roasted since that process further drains the blood.  The meat preparation may be also done by a kosher butcher in a meat shop.

A kosher butcher takes his calling very seriously and keeps his knife sharp and ready.  Part of the kosher practice is to eat meat prepared without pain and to respect the sacrifice given by the animal.  Animals are respected and their comfort is taken into consideration when they die.  If the animal suffers in any way, for instance the knife is nicked and not sharp the animal is non kosher.  Generally a processing plant will also have a rabbi on staff to ensure that all proper procedures are followed.  When living kosher or attempting to buy kosher it is important to research the origin of your food so you are assured that you are living kosher.

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