Now, the bloody part. The Torah says you cannot eat the blood of an animal. So, after slaughter, the meat is soaked in cool water for 30 minutes. Then, it’s covered with coarse salt for an hour. The salt pulls out the blood like a sponge.
Imagine a post-workout sweat towel. The salt acts as a desiccant, drawing the moisture (and blood) out. Then you rinse it three times. It’s a spa treatment for steak—a salty, thorough scrub that leaves the meat clean and juicier because the salt seasons it lightly.
What About Vegetables and Grains?
Here’s the good news: vegetables are almost always kosher. A carrot is a carrot. But—and there’s always a “but”—you have to check them for bugs. The Torah says no eating creepy-crawlies, so you must inspect lettuce leaf by leaf. I do this with my kale, but usually I just hope for the best.
What Makes Something Kosher: 9 Key Criteria For Kosher Food
Grain products like pasta and bread need a special certification if they’re processed on shared equipment. It’s like a gluten-free label, but for religious purity. A little logo (like a “U” in a circle) means a rabbi signed off on the factory.
