How to Kosher Meat

Reviewed by Ashley Crawford

Last Updated: May 25, 2026 Approved

To comply with Jewish dietary requirements, meat and fowl must be prepared in a special way to make the flesh kosher and acceptable for cooking and eating. Blood must be drawn out with water and salt or broiled out. Though the process of koshering (or kashering) meat and fowl is fairly simple, it requires time, and the protocol must be followed exactly to make the meat fit for Jewish kitchens.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Washing and Soaking

Blood will be drained from meat in the salting process to make it kosher. Before washing the meat, cut out any clots.
2
Soak the meat in water at room temperature for at least a half hour. Meat left to soak for 24 hours or more becomes non-kosher.^{[1]
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Chabad.org
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- If you like, cut the meat into smaller pieces after soaking.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Salting

It is okay to use the water in which you soaked the meat. Inspect the meat to make certain there is no visible blood.^{[2]
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Keep the meat damp enough so salt sticks to it but not so wet the salt dissolves easily.^{[3]
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Do not put so much salt on the meat that blood cannot drain out.
4
Allow the meat or fowl to sit on the salting board for at least an hour. Allow the blood to drain into a tub or basin. Do not allow the meat to be salted for more than 12 hours as this may make the meat unkosher.^{[4]
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- If you leave salt on the meat for more than 12 hours, consult a rabbi as to whether the meat is still kosher.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Triple Rinsing

1
Rinse and rub the meat well three times after salting.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source

Chabad.org
Online resource for information related to Chabad-Lubavitch and Jewish culture

Go to source}
- The first time you rinse, place the meat under running water and rub off salt. Keep turning the meat so all sides are exposed to the running water.
- The second and third times you can rinse meat in a basin of clean water, using new water both times. Put water in the basin before putting the meat in. You may also rub the meat under running water the second and third times.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Broiling

1
You may also kosher meat by broiling.^{[6]
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- Wash the meat or fowl.
- Salt the meat or fowl.
- Cook the meat on an open grill over flames until a crust forms and the meat is half done. Allow drippings to collect in a pan. The grill and pan must be used only for kashering meat.
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When kashering meat with salt, is 100% of the blood removed from chicken meat?

Biplob28

Community Answer

Yes. Meat and fowl must be prepared in a special way to make the flesh kosher and acceptable for cooking and eating. Blood must be drawn out with water and salt, or broiled out. Though the process of koshering (or kashering) meat and fowl is fairly simple, it requires time, and the protocol must be followed exactly to make the meat fit for Jewish kitchens.

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Is all kosher salt used for koshering meat non-iodized?

Biplob28

Community Answer

Yes! Salt is a mineral, and as such, pure salt is always kosher. Some brands of salt have a kosher symbol on the package, and that way you know that a reliable kosher certification agency is checking to make sure that nothing else gets mixed in to the salt.

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Do I need to wash kosher chicken to remove salt before cooking?

Linda Sherwood

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Yes, you should wash kosher chicken to remove residual salt before cooking.

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Tips

Dedicate the equipment you use to kasher meat just for that purpose. The knife, salting board and basin should be used only for kashering.

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While koshering meat, work in a well-lighted area so you are sure to see any blood or discolorations.

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If you're salting more than one type of meat at a time, consult with a rabbi as to how to place the meats or fowl on the salting board when draining the blood. Chicken has less blood than beef, so consult a rabbi as to how to salt chicken and beef or other meat combinations together.

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Warnings

When the meat is on the salting board, make sure nothing impedes the flow of blood off the board and away from the meat. If necessary to make room, you may place cuts of meat on top of each other as long as blood does not collect.

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