As someone who enjoys exploring different cuisines and cooking techniques, I’m always interested in learning about food traditions from various cultures and religions. One intriguing set of dietary practices I’ve researched is kashrut – the Jewish laws pertaining to keeping kosher. In particular, I wanted to better understand what exactly makes beef kosher according to Jewish law.
In this detailed guide, I’ll walk through the key requirements beef must meet to be considered kosher, from the breed of cattle to the slaughter process and preparation techniques. Whether you keep kosher, are curious about Jewish traditions, or simply want to expand your culinary knowledge, read on for a comprehensive look at what makes beef kosher.
First, let’s start with some background on kashrut. The kosher dietary laws originate from the Torah and have been observed by Jews for thousands of years. Kashrut provides instructions on which foods are permissible to eat and how they must be prepared. When it comes to meat kosher laws focus on two main factors
- The species of animal
- How the animal is slaughtered and processed
Cows, sheep, goats, deer and cattle are examples of kosher mammal species. For beef to be kosher, it must come specifically from cattle in the bovine family. Pigs, rabbits, camels and rodents are prohibited. As for poultry, kosher birds include chicken, duck, turkey and goose
In addition to coming from an acceptable kosher species, the animal must be slaughtered and processed according to strict kosher practices in order to remove all blood and impurities. Let’s take a deeper look into these preparation steps.
Criteria #1: Slaughtering the Animal
Kosher slaughter has precise requirements in order to minimize pain and suffering for the animal. The process is called shechita and is performed by a trained shochet. Here are some key points:
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The knife used for shechita must be perfectly smooth and sharp. This ensures a quick clean cut through vital structures.
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The shochet makes one continuous slicing motion across the throat to sever the carotid arteries, jugular veins and trachea in one swipe.
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Chopping off limbs or making incremental cuts is strictly forbidden. The animal must be killed instantly.
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Great care is taken not to cause any unnecessary pain. The shochet is trained to make the swiftest killing stroke possible.
Proper kosher slaughter is designed to minimize trauma and allow the animal to swiftly bleed out without suffering. It may appear violent to an outsider, but adherents argue it is the most humane method.
Criteria #2: Inspecting the Animal
Once slaughtered, the animal undergoes an extensive inspection by a trained professional called a bodek. The bodek checks for any injuries, defects or abnormalities that may disqualify the animal from being kosher:
- Lung adhesions or lesions
- Improperly formed limbs
- Damaged or discolored organs
- Parasitic cysts
- Broken bones
Minor adhesions on the lungs or scars can be worked around, but major health issues render the animal non-kosher. The inspection ensures the animal was in excellent health and meets kosher standards.
Criteria #3: Removing the Blood
According to kosher law, consuming animal blood is forbidden. After slaughter, the meat must go through a multi-step process to purge any blood from the tissues:
- The carcass is rinsed thoroughly with water.
- Coarse salt is applied to draw out residual blood.
- The meat sits for up to an hour, allowing blood to drain off.
- It is then rinsed again and soaked to extract any remaining blood.
This salting and soaking procedure is known as koshering the meat. Only after completing this process can the meat be considered free of blood and therefore kosher.
Criteria #4: Removing Fats, Veins and Forbidden Nerves
The final step in preparing kosher meat involves meticulously removing certain fats, veins and nerves:
- Forbidden fats around the kidneys and loins are trimmed away.
- Blood vessels and veins are removed.
- The hindquarters are parted to cut out the sciatic nerve, which is not allowed.
These prohibited parts cannot be mixed with the usable kosher meat. A knowledgeable butcher carefully separates them out. With beef fully koshered, it is now ready for cooking and consumption.
Availability of Kosher Beef
While regular supermarkets may carry some kosher items, you’ll need to visit a kosher butcher shop or grocery to find a reliable selection of kosher beef. These specialty stores have relationships with kosher slaughterhouses and can ensure all requirements are met from start to finish.
Many Jewish communities support their own kosher butchers and delis catering to local needs. Large metro areas often have more options available. You can also order kosher beef online through mail order sites. Prices tend to be higher than standard beef since kosher practices add steps and complexity.
Benefits of Choosing Kosher Beef
Outside of obeying religious law, what incentives exist for selecting kosher beef? Here are a few potential perks:
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Food safety – The extensive inspections mean kosher beef adheres to extremely high quality standards in terms of cleanliness and purity. Contamination risks are lower.
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Humane slaughter – Kosher slaughter guidelines are designed to minimize fear and pain for the animals. This ethical consideration matters to many.
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Meat quality – With greater attention to detail, kosher beef is often praised for its texture and flavor. The salting helps tenderize cuts.
While price and availability may be deterrents for some, those who do integrate kosher beef into their diets cite worthwhile advantages.
Common Questions About Kosher Beef
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions on what makes beef kosher:
Q: Can I prepare kosher beef on the same surfaces as non-kosher food?
A: No – utensils, cookware and surfaces used for kosher beef cannot come into contact with non-kosher items. You’ll need a fully dedicated kosher kitchen.
Q: Are there rules about eating kosher beef with dairy?
A: Yes, Jewish dietary law prohibits mixing meat and dairy products. So kosher beef should not be eaten alongside milk, cheese, etc.
Q: Do I have to be Jewish to eat kosher beef?
A: Not at all – kosher beef can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of religion. The preparations simply adhere to traditional Jewish standards.
Q: How do I know if beef is really kosher or not?
A: Look for certification symbols from kosher agencies like OU, OK, KOF-K and Star-K. This verifies the source and preparation methods.
In Conclusion
Achieving kosher status is no small feat for a cut of beef. It must pass numerous checkpoints from birth through slaughter and processing before being declared fit for consumption under Jewish dietary law. From the breed of cattle to the techniques used for purging blood, every step matters. Now that you understand the rigor behind it, you can appreciate why kosher beef is held in such high regard by those who observe these ancient traditions.
Kosher Meat Guide: Cuts & Cooking Methods
This post has been a long time in coming. And not just because it’s taken me a while to write it. But because it’s taken me a while to learn it. Like many home cooks, when it came to meat preparation, I was stumped. I didn’t understand the different cuts of meat or how to prepare them. After lots of reading, and a hands-on butchery class at The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts, I feel like I finally have a good grasp of kosher meat preparation and handling.
First things first: Where does the meat that we eat actually come from? The different cuts of meat that you buy at the butcher come from a steer. The steer is cut up into 9 sections, or PRIMAL CUTS, five of which are used for kosher consumption in the U.S. (the hindquarters require the removal of the sciatic nerve in a process called nikkur to render it kosher, which is only done in certain countries/communities by a specialty-trained menakker). The chuck, rib, brisket, shank and plate are cut into subprimals or fabricated cuts, which is what you see at the supermarket.
The most important thing to understand about the beef that we eat is where it comes from. Meat is made up of muscle and connective tissue. The more the muscle is used, the more connective tissue it will have causing the meat to be tough. For example, the chuck, which is the shoulder of the steer, is one of the most used parts of the animal resulting in a tough cut of meat.
Why does it matter where our meat comes from? Well once we understand the nature of the meat (if it’s tough or tender) we will know what type of cooking method it requires. Tough cuts of meat needs moist cooking to break down the muscle fibers and connective tissues. Tender cuts require dry heat cooking methods to firm up the meat without drying it out.
Now, let’s get into fabricated cuts and how they are broken down.
Unfortunately, for the kosher consumer, it’s hard to know what you’re really getting in the butcher shop. Kosher butchers (and butchers in general) tend to name their cuts however they like. That being said, these are the most general fabricated cuts that you’ll find:
CHUCK:
Chuck roast is often sold tied in a net and includes the Square Roast (top portion) and the French (or Brick) Roast (bottom portion). Since the chuck portion is very tough, it is often cubed and sold as stew meat as well. Kolichol is another tough cut from the shoulder section, and is great to use in the cholent or wherever a recipe calls for pot roast. Unlike chuck roasts that require moist heat cooking to tenderize the meat, Shoulder London Broil & Silver Tip Roasts (used to make Roast Beef) that are also cut from the shoulder, can be roasted using a dry heat cooking method until medium-rare.
One of the most popular and tender cuts from the shoulder is the minute steak roast. You would probably recognize it from the thick piece of gristle that runs down the center. When the roast is sliced horizontally above and below the gristle, the resulting cuts are often called filet split and are perfect for quick cooking in stir fry’s or wherever recipes call for quick grilling (such as london broil or flat iron steak).
A note about London Broil: London Broil is not actually a cut of meat, but rather a method of preparing the meat by broiling or grilling marinated steak and then cutting it across the grain into thin strips. Butchers use different cuts of meat for this, some more and some less tender. If you are curious as to where the London Broil is cut from, simply ask your butcher.
RIB:
Ribs are the most tender cut of kosher meat because the muscles in this area are not worked as much. Ribs should always be cooked using a dry heat cooking method. The rib section includes, rib steaks, ribeye steaks, club steaks, delmonico or mock filet mignon (which uses the center EYE of the rib). There is also a great cut known as the Surprise steak – a flap that covers the prime rib and is tender and delicious. Above the surprise steak is the “Top of the Rib” which some butchers call the “Deckle”. This is the one exception to the rule of the rib section. Top of the Rib is a tougher cuts and benefits from moist heat cooking.
Besides the rib primal, ribs can also be found in the chuck primal, which includes the first five ribs of the ribcage. That is where flanken and short ribs comes from. Short ribs are strips of meat & fat that are cut from between the ribs, while flanken is a cross-section cut, including pieces of the rib in between the meat & fat. Spare ribs are short ribs that have been cut in half lengthwise. Both short ribs and flanken benefit from moist heat cooking.
PLATE:
The plate sits below the rib primal and includes the flavorful skirt and hanger steaks. Both have a high salt content and benefit from quick grilling.
BRISKET:
Brisket is the breast of the steer and is an extremely tough cut. A whole brisket can weigh as much as 15 lbs. Brisket is often sold as 1st and 2nd cut. First cut brisket is flat and lean. It is much less flavorful than the second cut, which is smaller but fattier. In general, fattier meat will always yield a tastier product. Fat is flavor, so when possible, always opt for a well-marbled cut over a leaner one. You can always refrigerate the meat and remove the congealed fat later on.
First cut of brisket tends to cut nicely, while second cut tends to shred, making it perfect for pulled beef. Corned beef & pastrami are popularly made from brisket. Corned beef is pickled while pastrami is smoked.
The foreshank is very flavorful and high in collagen. It includes the shin and marrow bones. Because collagen converts to gelatin when cooked using moist heat, foreshanks are excellent for making stocks.
In addition to the primal cuts of the animal – there are other edible parts of the steer including the neck (mostly used ground up due to it’s connective tissues), cheek (great for braising), sweetbreads (thymus gland), liver, tongue and oxtails (hard to find kosher due to the complications involved in removing the sciatic nerve).
Ground beef can come from any part of the animal, but it is usually made from lean cuts and trimmings. Grinding the meat helps to tenderize it, so the toughest cuts are often used. When purchasing ground beef, keep in mind that the leaner the meat, the drier your end product will be. 80% lean to 20% fat is a good ratio.
OTHER CUTS NOT MENTIONED
There are lots of different cuts available that are not mentioned here, and the reason for that is because every butcher has different scraps and pieces of leftover meat that they choose to label at their own convenience. Pepper steak at one butcher might come from the chuck and at another butcher, from the deckle. If you want to use your meat for a specific purpose, and you don’t want to have to braise it for a long time in order to tenderize it, order a specific cut from your butcher, or ask where the prepackaged meat comes from.
All meat is graded by the USDA to ensure that it is fit for human consumption. Grading provides a system by which distributor (and consumers) can measure differences in quality of meats. Grades determine the tenderness and flavor of the meat base on its age, color, texture and degree of marbling. USDA Grades include: Prime, Choice, Select and Standard. You’ve probably heard of USDA Prime Grade meats. They are often used in fine restaurants. USDA Choice is the most commonly used grade in food service operations.
COOKING METHODS:
As I mentioned above, once you know whether your meat is tough or tender (due to muscle movement & connective tissue) you will understand how to cook it. Tough meat requires slow, moist heat cooking to help break down the connective tissue and tenderize the meat. Tender meat requires dry heat cooking to firm up the proteins without breaking down connective tissue.
Dry heat cooking can include broiling, grilling, roasted or sauteing/pan-frying. Meat should be cooked at high temperatures to caramelize their surface. To determine doneness, check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Over time, you will learn to “feel” for doneness based on the meats resistance when poked with a finger.
Thermometer readings:
very rare (sometimes referred to as “blue” meat) 120-125 rare (deep red center) 125-130 medium rare (bright red center) 130-140 medium (pink center) 140-150 medium well (very little pink) 155-165 well done (all brown) 160+
Moist heat cooking includes simmering (used for corned beef and tongue) and combination cooking methods: braising and stewing.
Combination cooking methods use both dry and moist heat to achieve a tender result. Meats are first browned and then cooked in a small amount of liquid. Wine and/or tomatoes are oftened used as the acid helps to break down and tenderize the meat. The meat and liquid are brought to a boil over direct heat, the temperature is reduced and the pot is covered. Cooking can be finished in the oven or on the stove top. The oven provides gentle, even heat without the risk of scorching. To determine doneness when braising or stewing, the meat should be fork tender but not falling apart.
The main differences between braising and stewing are that stewing uses small pieces of meat, while braising uses a single, large portion. In addition, braising requires liquid to cover only 1/3-1/2 of the meat while stewing requires that the meat be completely submerged in the liquid.
RESTING & CUTTING MEAT
When meat has finished cooking, it’s always important to let it rest (10-20 minutes) before slicing. Resting allows the juices to redistribute themselves, and cutting into the meat too early will cause all the juices to run out of the meat.
Another thing to keep in mind when cooking meat is CARRYOVER COOKING. When meat is finished cooking and removed from the heat, the internal temperature still continues to rise while the meat continues cooking. Therefore, keep in mind carryover cooking when using dry heat cooking methods. If you are looking for a medium doneness, and you pull your meat off at 150 degrees, the meat will continue to cook until it’s temperature reaches about 155, resulting in medium well doneness.
As mentioned, meat is a group of muscle fibers that band together to form muscles. When cutting meat, it’s important to cut against the grain (perpendicular to the muscle fibers) in order to shorten the muscle fibers so that they are more tender. Cutting parallel to the muscle fibers results in chewy, stringy cuts of meat.