Kashering is the process of making utensils and kitchen items kosher, including draining meat of blood. It involves cleaning and waiting 24 hours before boiling or heating the items. During Pesach, chametz is removed from the kitchen, and some items cannot be made kosher. Thorough cleaning of kitchen appliances is necessary.
Koshering is how utensils, plates, cutting boards, glassware and all other kitchen utensils are made kosher, whether they are brand new or have come in contact with non-kosher food. While not limited to the holy day of Pesach, or Passover, many Jewish families rake up right before Pesach to remove chametz, crumbs, and leavening sources that are off-limits to food during Pesach. Other definition of kashering is the process by which meat is drained of blood so that meat and blood are not eaten together – a very important kosher dietary law.
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Kashrut, Jewish dietary law, governs the process by which meat is made kosher. It forbids the consumption of an animal’s blood because doing so is the same as eating a living animal, another Jewish dietary prohibition. While most of the blood is drained during the slaughter process, the remaining blood is treated through kashering.
This involves a process of soaking the meat in water, salting and rinsing. This process draws the excess blood out of the meat and makes it kosher for food. With some meats, such as liver, it involves making cuts in the meat to aid in blood extraction, salting it, then grilling or broiling it.
Cleaning
People often talk about kashering in reference to making all things kosher cleaner. There is debate whether things used in violation of kosher standards can later be made kosher. For example, a person who converts to Judaism or begins to observe Jewish dietary laws when they did not in the past may need to replace some kitchen items, such as dishes. Ultimately, those with specific questions about the possibility of making something “old” kosher should consult a qualified rabbi.
Kashering is a two step process. First, a person has to clean the items. After cleaning, the person must wait at least 24 hours. The 24-hour pause allows items to lose any inconspicuous “flavor” they may have had. The second step is to kosh the items. There are two basic ways to do this: boiling or heating. There are several forms of heating, including kiln heating and torch heating, and the form needed depends on how the item was made non-kosher.
Pesach
While Jews are obligated to keep kosher at all times, some less observant Jews focus on koshering only for the most observed holiday, Pesach. The process focuses on removing all chametz, or leavening, from the kitchen. Because crumbs can get just about anywhere, this is often a lengthy process.
During this process, it’s important to note that some things typically cannot be made kosher. These include items with cracks, narrow necks (like baby bottles), items with slits, like slotted spoons, and some things like toothbrushes, sponges, and kitchen sink drain covers. These must either be replaced or placed elsewhere away from the home on Pesach.
People can also make sure to cover any surfaces they haven’t cleaned, especially tables, in case they’ve missed a few tiny bits of chametz. The degree to which cleansing occurs before Pesach tends to be determined by the type of Jewish sect a person belongs to. Some take dietary restrictions very seriously, some don’t.
During the cleansing process, visible chametz is removed from various items, especially anything that will be used on the Pesach table. This is often the time to perform various tasks, such as polishing silverware. In the purging process, the items are placed in very hot water. Kashhering a cloth tablecloth, for example, may mean making sure it’s free of crumbs, then washing it on a hot cycle in the washing machine.
Kitchen appliances should also be thoroughly cleaned, especially ovens, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves and the like. This helps prepare the home for the all-important Pesach celebration. It also obeys God’s biblical directions that Jews do not keep any sources of leavened or leavened material in their home so as to be recognized as God’s people.
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