What is Kosher?

holley79 wrote: DH bought some Hebrew Nation franks the other day. They were very good. I don't normally pay attention to things but I noticed they were Kosher. What is the difference between a regular hot dog and a kosher hot dog?

grapfruit replied: I believe, and probably Jennifer (Cameragirl) would be better to answer. But I just want to see if I'm close , it's been blessed, and it made orgaincally (sp?). Also, some foods "can't" be Kosher I think. Has to do w/the Torah

Maddie&EthansMom replied: Google it.

TANNER'S MOM replied: I think no pork and no pork can touch it at all. (no forked hoofed animal)

Like if you are grilling Kosher dogs for your friends..they can't be grilled on the same grill as your food.

holley79 replied:
I did that and was more confused then when I started.

jcc64 replied: I think it has been blessed by a special certified Rabbi. I also think kosher means dairy can't come in contact with meat?

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I know it has something to do with how the animal is slaughtered. No organ meats or shellfish I believe...I know there is something about cloven footed animals but that I am confused on because a cow has a broken hoof and they can eat brisket. Mel is right about pork tho...I will ask Bill

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

Here is the site

Kosher Rules and practices

Bill said cloven hoofed animals that chew their cud are allowed(which would be a cow) and The site says Rabbis do not have to Bless it for it to be Kosher it has to do with the preperation and the slaughter that make it Kosher...It is based on laws in the old Testament when the Jews were supposed to keep themselves seperated from their captors from my understanding.

holley79 replied:
Well these are 100% beef hot dogs so it couldn't be the broken hoof thing.

Calimama replied: Interesting. I see those Hebrew National hot dogs all the time.

PrairieMom replied: There are lots of foods that are kosher that you aren't even aware of. There are symbols on your labels that let you know. Someone that used to be a member here explained it all once, the post is around somewhere, I'll have to see if I can dig it up.

PrairieMom replied: Here is the link

http://forums.parentingclub.com/index.php?...topic=35189&hl=

Anthony275 replied: my orange juice is kosher

holley79 replied:
Well I need the DUh smilie now. I forgot about you askign that question a while back.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: Yes it has something to do with a rabbi blessing the food, but I also have family members who are Orthodox and they are very strict on how they prepare their food, what touches their food, what utensils touch their food, etc. So there is more to it. You can imagine they don't come to family BBQ's all that much.

All I know is that kosher dogs taste really good!

cameragirl21 replied: With regard to Kosher meat, like hot dogs and such the slaughter has to be quick and painless and the animal must not suffer or the meat is not considered Kosher. There was some controversy sometime back where PETA discovered some allegedly Kosher slaughterhouse was not doing the fast, painless kill and thereby the meat was not Kosher.
Kosher food does not allow the mixing of meat and dairy so you won't find any dairy bi-products in hot dogs, etc and a pizza with ground beef or cheeseburger, for instance, would be against Kosher dietary laws.
There is a blessing the Rabbi must say over it to make it truly Kosher and Kosher meat has all the blood drained from it before you eat it.
All in all, Kosher foods are of much higher quality, so much so that those who do keep Kosher (and for the record, I am NOT one of them and do eat non Kosher foods) will tell you that what is not Kosher is to them, on par with coming right out of the garbage can.
Those who have dairy allergies are best to stick with Kosher foods, especially where meat is concerned.
If I recall correctly, Anne Marie (Amymom) told me her daughter sticks to Kosher foods for the most part because she has a horrible milk allergy.
My more religious friends say that I should go Kosher since I'm already more than half way there, since I don't eat meat, thereby there is no problem of mixing milk and dairy but to go fully Kosher, one would have to eat only at Kosher restaurants, etc and it's enough for me to constantly ask people whose home I'm a guest in, "does this have meat in it?" I can only imagine what it would be like to turn that into, "does this have meat in it and is it Kosher?"
yeahhhh, I don't see that happening in this lifetime.
But yeah, a Kosher hot dog will taste way better than a non Kosher one because it is pure beef and no bi-products.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:

I would be incredibly interested to find exactly what slow painful way they were killing in Packer houses use a very quick and painless kill. The cow literally goes from standing to dead immediately. It is not only the most ecomonical way but they have constant supervision from the USDA to insure the safety and health of the animals and the consumer. I would take any story to the contrary with more than a grain of salt. Packing houses are not allowed to run amuck and kill animals in any way they decide to,they are regualted and any infraction would no doubt be found by one of the many eyes on them before PETA had to become involved

cameragirl21 replied: you are right, Abbie, the food does not have to be blessed, per se, just supervised by a rabbi. wow, I learn new things everyday.
for some reason I can't post the link here but go to myjewishlearning.com and read up on Kosher food.