What is Kosher-Style?

When it comes to healthy eating, how the animal is killed is every bit as much important as how it was raised. The primary reason for draining the blood from the animal at the time of slaughter goes back to biblical times. The Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) states:

“And any man from the house of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘No person among you may eat blood, nor may any alien who sojourns among you eat blood.’ So when any man from the sons of Israel, or from the aliens who sojourn among them, in hunting catches a beast or a bird which may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life. Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’ (Lev 17:10-14 – New American Standard Bible)

It is clear from this verse that blood is associated with life and to eat the life-essence of another is considered wrong in God’s eyes. Blood was given to make atonement for sin and therefore prohibited to eat.

Medically, since blood runs through the entire body to carry oxygen and nutrients, most diseases that exists in the body will also be transmitted by blood. Therefore, removing it from the animal when it is slaughtered improves the quality and taste of the meat.

Kosher-style or “biblically slaughtered” meat means to drain the blood from the animal when it is killed. This differs from certified kosher where there is a multi-stage process in examining the animal and handling it after it is slaughtered while being inspected by a third party. While all activities done in a certified kosher plant are beneficial in ensuring we get healthy meat, certification is very difficult and expensive to get.

Kosher-style animals meet the biblical specification of removing the blood from it at the time it is butchered. At Weinberg’s Organic Meats, our animals are slaughtered in this manner to ensure they feel as little discomfort as possible and our customers are provided with the healthiest option available.