Kosher Cooking Utensils

Keeping kosher when you buy, process or eat food is part of the Jewish dietary law. The process of being kosher includes meal preparation, ingredients and methods. Kosher foods are easier to identify than kosher utensils and implements. However, it is important to know what utensils are kosher and how to keep them that way. Does this Spark an idea?

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History
- The Jewish dietary laws that govern kosher foods and utensils have been in place for thousands of years. Kosher has come to mean "approved" in everyday language but is still part of the dietary law for people of the Jewish faith.
Definition
- Kosher utensils are utensils that are kept separate and used exclusively for specific items. Meat, dairy and neutral food items may not have the same utensils used for each. Hot and cold foods must also have separate utensils. For a utensil to be kosher, it must be heated to above 450 degrees or soaked in water for several days. A rabbi usually supervises the process.
Identification
- Meat products and dairy products must never be prepared together and utensils may not touch both. Neutral foods must also have separate utensils and plates. The utensils, pots and plates can all be color coded to avoid confusion. Meat is usually red, dairy blue, and neutral is green.
Separation
- Utensils for meat, dairy and neutral foods must be stored, used, washed and dried separately. Color coded cutting mats, drain boards and shelf markers or liners are available to help make the separation easier. If meat utensils are stored with dairy utensils, then they are no longer kosher and must be cleansed or thrown away.
Considerations
- Utensils that are used incorrectly or mixed together with non-kosher utensils must not be used again until they have been cleansed appropriately. If a spoon that is set aside for meat is accidentally used to stir a soup containing milk, it has been violated and is no longer kosher. A rabbi must supervise the cleansing of any utensils that have been violated.

Photo Credit sxc.hu/cx_ed/Dominic Morel

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