How to Keep Kosher Pots & Pans
Keeping kosher is an important practice in the Jewish faith. Its foundation is in ancient Jewish dietary laws (kashrut) and requires that Jews eat certain foods and prepare foods in a certain manner as dictated by those laws. In order to keep a kosher kitchen, especially kosher pots and pans, certain procedures must be followed in order to ritually sanitize and clean (kasher or kashering) the pots and pans for everyday use.
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Things You'll Need
- Metal pots and pans
- Large metal pot
- Tongs
- Open flame or gas burner
- Oven with self-cleaning setting
Instructions
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Kashering Pots and Pans Not Used for Frying
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1
Use metal pots and pans with as little plastic adornment as possible. Because kashering requires heating or boiling, pots and pans with plastic handles or rims may be ruined in the kashering process.
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2
Thoroughly clean any dirt or excess food from the pots and pans immediately after eating. Put them aside to dry for 24 hours.
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3
Boil a large pot of water and place the cleaned pot or pan in the boiling water. Treat one at a time.
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4
After a minute, remove the pot or pan with large tongs and allow it to dry before putting it away. Repeat this process for each pot and pan.
Kashering Pots and Pans Used for Frying
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5
Expose the pot or pan used for frying to a direct fire source (e.g., a blowtorch) for several minutes. This fire source can be an open flame or the flame of your gas stove.
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6
Place the pot or pan into a self-cleaning oven for a full cleaning cycle. This is not recommended unless you have a very durable high-heat pot or pan that is fully metal. Otherwise, the pot or pan will be ruined.
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7
Purchase new pots and pans if those you have cannot be exposed to an open flame or put in the oven for the full self-cleaning cycle.
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Tips & Warnings
The rules for kashering can vary depending on the type of pot and pan and also the type of event in which you will use the pot or pan. For example, you may not be able to use Teflon pans at all during Passover. In order to make sure you are keeping a kosher kitchen in the correct way, consult with a local Orthodox Rabbi who may visit your home and help you understand the exact rules for keeping a kosher kitchen.
