What is kosher? How do I find the best kosher meat?

What is kosher? How do I find the best kosher meat?

Kosher (כשר) means “fit” and it often refers to food that is fit for observant Jews to eat. Other things can be kosher for ritual use, like a Torah scroll or a Mezuzah on doorposts. But, in BBQ, we are focused on the food aspect of it. All of the meat we use is glatt kosher. Glatt means “smooth” and it ensures the animal’s lungs were healthy and had no blemishes.


I get a lot of questions about the quality of kosher meat. The quality ranges significantly. The first thing you want to look for is if it is American meat. Kosher meat from Uruguay and Mexico are not high quality. It comes down to the breed of steers raised and how they are raised. I do not suggest meat from Mexico or Uruguay for smoking as it is usually much leaner and dries out. A new comer to the American market is meat from Argentina. I have loved using this meat in my regular cooking, but have not smoked their briskets and cannot give my opinion on them. With prices these days, I encourage everyone to look for Argentinian meat as the next best choice to American. 


Have more questions? Comment below and I will get back to you!

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