Kosher Guidelines for Hillel JUC as of June 15, 2010
General Rules:
- No non-Kosher food, pots, dishes, cutlery, racks, etc. are permitted in the kitchen at any time.
- All utensils must be labeled meat, or parve. If an item's label has fallen off or is no longer identifiable a new label must be attached.
- All food being brought into the kitchen must be checked to assure it contains the proper kosher certification.
- The complete menu for the meal must be presented for approval no less than three weeks before the event. All food and beverages to be served or made available to guests, including hors d'oeuvres, alcoholic and soft drinks must be specified.
- A complete ingredient list, including specific brand names, sources of all food products to be used (including size of packages to be used) must be presented to the rabbi or rabbi's designate no less than two weeks before the event.
- Ingredients and/or products used must be made under kosher supervision considered acceptable. A list of acceptable kosher supervising agencies and their kosher symbols will be provided. Products with any other kosher marking must be approved by Rabbi Werbow.
- No equipment or utensils (new or used, including but not limited to: dishes, plates, flatware, drinkware, pots, pans or service items) may be brought to Hillel JUC for use without explicit prior permission. Caterers should be questioned at the time of confirming the menu as to any special preparation materials they would need that are not common in the kitchen. Any item permitted may be subject to being made kosher under the supervision. Hillel will not be liable for loss of or damage to items during the kashering process. Persons who use the kitchens may purchase specialized equipment for use in the Hillel kitchen and store it on premises for later use, with prior permission.
- All food preparation is to be done under the supervision of Mashgichim (approved kosher supervisors). Food delivery, preparation (even set-up for prep work), equipment delivery or use shall not take place until appropriate supervision is arranged and in place.
- Food products made in private homes may not be served at any meal or function on the 3rd floor of Hillel JUC building. Once food & containers leave the 3rd floor they may not be returned to the kitchen.
- If an accepted kosher caterer or bakery prepares food off the premises, at an approved, supervised, kosher kitchen, to be served, it shall be transported and delivered in a marked and sealed container certifying the kashrut of the contents.
- Deliveries of food products to be used on Shabbat (or holiday) must be made no later than three hours prior to candle lighting on Friday afternoon (or the afternoon before a holiday). Deliveries must take place under the appropriate supervision. Any product or foods not previously approved or delivered without proper kashrut symbols will be refused if not meeting appropriate standards. Deliveries after three hours prior to candle lighting on Friday (or afternoon before the holiday) will be refused. See attached sheet for candle lighting times for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
- Persons using the kitchen may not bring personal meals, snacks or utensils (even travel mugs, etc.) into the Hillel kitchen.
KASHERING
KASHERING WITH WATER
- All surfaces of the piece of equipment MUST be 100% cleaned and degreased.
- A large pot can be kashered by filling it to the top with water. The water should be allowed to boil over the sides of the pot. Leave the cover of the pot on the pot when being kashered. After a few minutes turn the pot cover over and let water hit the cover again. If unable to turn the cover over, the top part of the outside of the pot cover should be kashered by following the procedure in (d). Water should boil over sides of pot - this can be done by tilting the pot on the fire so that all sides are covered. Rinse in cold water following kashering.
- A small pot to be kashered can be put into another pot (so that boiling water will flow into pot to eliminate mess). Rinse with cold water after kashering. When immersing INTO water, the water MUST be at a rolling boil. The item to be kashered can be put in while water is coming to a boil but it must come to a boil before it is kashered.
- When the item being kashered is not used for cooking and is too large to be placed directly into the water It may be kashered by pouring boiling water over the item to be kashered. In this case, the water must also be at a rolling boil prior to being poured. In addition, the pot or utensil used to pour the water must be as hot as the pot used to boil the water. This can be accomplished by immersing the utensil to be used for pouring into boiling water and allowing it to stay immersed for 25-30 seconds (for water pitchers, this time can be cut in half). Pour the water over the item to be kashered, starting from the bottom and working your way up to the top.
METAL COUNTERS / SINKS
- After a thorough cleaning counters & sinks are to be Kashered by pouring boiling water over them. Counters, tables or tabletops that are not able to be kashered must be covered.
STOVE TOPS
- To Kasher the stove top it should first be thoroughly cleaned. After the cleaning the burners must be turned on high for 30 minutes. Alternatively, the burners can be placed inside the oven when it is being kashered or self cleaned.
- Before use, the stove top must be cleaned of all food particles.
OVENS
- To Kasher the oven it should first be thoroughly cleaned. After the cleaning the oven must be turned on high for an hour. If there is a self-clean setting the cleaning process can be used to kasher the oven.
CONVECTION OVENS
- The entire oven must be 100% clean. Any burned grease spots must be scraped and removed.
- The oven must be turned on maximum and remain on the highest temperature for one hour.
GRILL & GRIDDLE
- BBQ pit or grill - Must first be completely cleaned of any food residues. Place charcoal in the grill as if for normal use. Place additional charcoal on top of the cooking surface (grill rack), light and allow to bum out.
- Indoor or outdoor, gas or electrically heated grill - Must be thoroughly cleaned. After the cleaning the grill must be turned on high for an hour.
- Griddle (also called a flat-top) - Must be thoroughly cleaned. Turn on the heat and allow the flat-top to raise to maximum temperature for 30 minutes.
DEEP FRYER
- Can be kashered but it is a major undertaking. Deep fryer should only be used for meat or dairy and not kashered to use for the other.
SILVERWARE FLATWARE AND SERVING PIECES
- All pieces must be thoroughly cleaned. Kasher by immersion as in 1c above.
COOKING UTENSILS: POTS AND PANS, KNIVES & MIXING TOOLS, ETC
- Pots, pans, and sheet pans are to be designated and properly marked exclusively as meat or dairy and stored in their appropriate sections.
- Chefs' Equipment: All knives, mixing spoons, etc. are to be set aside as meat and stored in their appropriate locations. Wooden handled utensils or others that cannot be cleaned properly may not be kashered.
- All utensils designated for permanent kosher use must be marked. High temperature spray paint may be used, silver or serving utensils may be engraved or a permanent sticker may be applied. The mashgiach should re-mark any equipment on which the paint or sticker is becoming difficult to see.
- Plastic cannot be kashered.
- The lids and water pans of chafing dishes may be kashered with water as in section 1 above.
- Food pans, sometimes called "hotel pans" or "warming trays" (which are used as the food insert pan of a chafing dish or a steam table) and silver trays to be used for hot foods are kashered with water as in section 1 above.
- Plate covers can be kashered if thoroughly cleaned. Kasher with water as in section 1 above.
- Metal coffee pitchers can be kashered if thoroughly cleaned. Kasher with water as in section 1 above.
HOT BOXES
- Hot boxes must be thoroughly cleaned inside and out, including the door and racks.
- To kasher a hot box, place three lit sternos on each rack of the box for at least 1 hour, but preferably until the sternos burn out. The door must be closed during kashering, although you should check periodically to ensure that the fire wasn't extinguished due to improper ventilation.
DISHWASHER
- All items must be removed from the dishwashing area.
- All the compartments must be 100% clean.
- The dishwasher must be filled and run through with soap, bleach, or Lime Away at the highest temperature.
REFRIGERATOR
- A refrigerator is kashered by thoroughly cleaning out the inside and out side with soap and water.
FOOD PREPARATIONS
GENERAL
- All food to be used must have appropriate approved Kosher symbols, wherever required.
- All meat, poultry, and fish must have proper seals or signature on package in order to be used.
- Kosher fish fillets may be used only if they have an acceptable certification. Whole fish may be processed in the kosher kitchen. Fish purchased "dressed" (head cut off and gutted) is acceptable as long as the skin and scales are recognizable.
RAW VEGETABLE PREPARATION
- Pre-washed Lettuce and Spinach: "Redi-Cut," "Fresh Express" or any other certified brand of cut and pre-washed leafy lettuce may be used without additional cleaning.
- Fresh Iceberg Lettuce, Fresh Romaine. Red Leaf and all other Lettuce: The outer leaves should be taken off, core cut out, and inner leaves washed under a stream of water. If any bugs are found re-wash.
- All Other Fresh Vegetables: Vegetables should be washed well under running water or agitated in a bowl or basin of water.
- Frozen Vegetables: Can be used and does not require additional cleaning.
- Fresh Fruit: Should be rinsed well prior to use.
- Frozen Fruit: May be used and does not require additional cleaning.
- Fresh Eggs must be checked to be sure that there are no blood spots. If a blood spot is found the egg should be tossed directly down the drain and the container should be washed out using cold water.
- Pre-cracked eggs in bulk must have appropriate rabbinic supervision. Make sure they are not marked "Dairy".
- If Meat meal, and the menu states "ice cream" or "coffee creamer," be sure that all products are Pareve with proper Kosher symbols. The prepared menu must state that these items are parve.
- Bakery products from kosher bakeries are to arrive as follows:
- Breads and pastries must have a kosher sticker attached.
