Kosher Meats

Kosher foods are those that are produced according to Jewish dietary law. In the case of meats, this law forbids the eating of pork. Meat must also satisfy several other requirements. The main points are these:

1. The animal must be in good health and not dying or dead.
2. The animal must be slaughtered by a trained rabbi called a shochet, who must use a very sharp knife with no nicks or dents.
3. The animal must be killed with one stroke and must be bled thoroughly.
4. After slaughter, the veins and arteries are removed from the meat. For this reason, meat from the hindquarters is not considered kosher, because the veins and arteries are too small to be removed without severely damaging the meat. Blood vessels in the forequarters are larger and are more easily removed by trained personnel.