Kosher meat is meat that meets the strict criteria of the Jewish law known as Halakha, under the Kosher rules, Kashrut. The listing of Kosher meat was given in the Bible in the book of Leviticus, chapter 11.
Kosher meat is described as meat that comes from Kosher mammals and birds. Fish are classified as Pareve (neither meat nor dairy) and not Kosher meat. Kosher meat comes from mammals such as Bovines, Musk Deer, and Giraffes. Some of the more commonly known Bovine forms of Kosher meat include cattle, sheep, and goats.

Some birds which constitute Kosher meat include Chicken, Turkeys, Duck, Geese, and Capon. There are also certain dietary rules that restrict how Kosher meat is to be eaten and what foods are not allowed to be consumed when eating Kosher meat. For instance, milk or dairy products are not to be mixed with Kosher meat products during the same meal. Also they are to be cooked separately, not together. Eggs are considered Pareve, not Kosher meat, and therefore may be consumed with either Kosher meat or dairy products.

Kosher Meat and Labels

If you are wondering how you can know for sure if a product such as Kosher meat is truly Kashrut, then you can check the labels. There are certain labels used by Rabbinical groups that ensure Kosher meat, Pareve, and other products have met the standards and criteria and are in fact Kosher. In the United States there are nearly 300 Kosher certification labeling organizations. There are also many different symbols that represent Kosher certification.

The OU or Orthodox Union oversees that many industries are following proper procedures and that their products are beyond doubt, Kosher. Kosher meat is subject to stricter procedures. For example, if a Kosher meat product was handled according to all of the Jewish laws, yet the animal was slaughtered by a Non-Jew, it would not be labeled, “Kosher”. The strict adherence to Halakha determines if a product is deemed Kosher. For those who are looking for Kosher meat, the symbol may be as small as a pencil eraser, but you will find it on your product if you look carefully.