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Introduction to Kashering: Pots and Utensils: Libun
Kashering: Pots and Utensils: Libun: How It Works
Kashering by “burning” (libun) burns up any residual food taste and is of two types:
Libun gamur (complete burning) is when the entire metal substance of a utensil, oven, or other cooking surface becomes red hot.
When To Use Libun Gamur
Heating to red-hot (libun gamur) is required to kasher utensils that are used with direct heat, such as baking pans, roasting pans, and roasting grates. Libun gamur works on anything except pottery (this is a rabbinic injunction since you might not do a good job).
How To Do Libun Gamur
Libun gamur can be done by blowtorch or by placing the item in a kiln.
Libun Kal: Heating so Other Side of Pot Singes Paper
Heating so that the heat goes through to the opposite side of whatever is being kashered is called libun kal.
When To Use Libun Kal
This method may be used whenever there is a question of whether an item needs libun or not, such as grates on a gas stove.Grates on a gas stove are considered questionable since food may have overflowed onto them and, due to safek, we kasher using libun kal.
Note Grates on a gas stove do not need libun gamur.
Note Whenever hag'ala is effective, you may instead use libun kal, since libun kal is a stronger form of kashering. Sometimes you may find it more convenient to use libun kal to kasher an item that needs only hag'ala. You may use libun kal instead of hag'ala since libun kal is a stronger form of kashering.
Situation A stainless steel pot of the opposite gender went through a dishwasher cleaning.
What to Do Even though the pot only needs hag'ala, you may instead kasher it by libun kal by putting it in an oven at 500° F (for this application).
How To Do Libun Kal
Direct a flame, such as a blowtorch, onto the inside of a pot. Pot is hot enough when a piece of paper that touches the outside of the utensil burns (it need not burst into flame, just to smolder and be consumed).
Kashering by “burning” (libun) burns up any residual food taste and is of two types:
- “Complete burning” (libun gamur), and
- “Light burning” (libun kal).
Libun gamur (complete burning) is when the entire metal substance of a utensil, oven, or other cooking surface becomes red hot.
When To Use Libun Gamur
Heating to red-hot (libun gamur) is required to kasher utensils that are used with direct heat, such as baking pans, roasting pans, and roasting grates. Libun gamur works on anything except pottery (this is a rabbinic injunction since you might not do a good job).
How To Do Libun Gamur
Libun gamur can be done by blowtorch or by placing the item in a kiln.
Libun Kal: Heating so Other Side of Pot Singes Paper
Heating so that the heat goes through to the opposite side of whatever is being kashered is called libun kal.
When To Use Libun Kal
This method may be used whenever there is a question of whether an item needs libun or not, such as grates on a gas stove.Grates on a gas stove are considered questionable since food may have overflowed onto them and, due to safek, we kasher using libun kal.
Note Grates on a gas stove do not need libun gamur.
Note Whenever hag'ala is effective, you may instead use libun kal, since libun kal is a stronger form of kashering. Sometimes you may find it more convenient to use libun kal to kasher an item that needs only hag'ala. You may use libun kal instead of hag'ala since libun kal is a stronger form of kashering.
Situation A stainless steel pot of the opposite gender went through a dishwasher cleaning.
What to Do Even though the pot only needs hag'ala, you may instead kasher it by libun kal by putting it in an oven at 500° F (for this application).
How To Do Libun Kal
Direct a flame, such as a blowtorch, onto the inside of a pot. Pot is hot enough when a piece of paper that touches the outside of the utensil burns (it need not burst into flame, just to smolder and be consumed).
Passover: When To Finish Kashering
When kashering an oven or utensils for Passover, you may kasher:
- By Libun
Anytime, including on chol ha'moed (but not on Jewish festivals or Shabbat).
- By Hag'ala
Until one hour before halachic midday on Passover eve (but b'di'avad it is OK until
just before sunset of Passover eve).
just before sunset of Passover eve).
Introduction to Food Nullification: Utensils (Kashering)
Food Nullification in Utensils: Torah-Law and Rabbinic Decree
By Torah law (d'oraita), any clean utensil, countertop, etc., automatically reverts to neutral/pareve and kosher after not being heated to more than 120° F (49° C) for 24 hours.
But by rabbinic decree, utensils do not automatically become neutral/pareve even after 24 hours and must be kashered by heat (libun—direct heat; hag'ala—boiling in a pot; or eruy rotchim—pouring boiling water over item) or, if some types of glass, by soaking in water (meluy v'eruy ).
Changing Gender of Utensil
You may kasher a pot or cooking/eating utensil from:
You may not intentionally kasher a utensil in order to change it from dairy to meat or meat to dairy; you must first kasher it from accidentally (or intentionally) non-kosher to kosher/pareve, or from non-Passover to Passover/pareve. You may then use it for either dairy or meat.
Once you have used it for that gender, the item retains that gender (unless you re-kasher it for Passover or you make it non-kosher first, then kasher it to neutral/pareve).
But if you accidentally heat meat with a dairy utensil or vice versa, you may kasher it back to its original gender by any one of the kashering methods, depending on how it became non-kosher.
Items/Materials that Can Be Kashered
The following materials can be kashered:
Items/Materials that Cannot Be Kashered
Pot Lid Handle
Kashering
The handle on a pot lid does not need to be kashered for normal use during the year.
Reason It does not normally get hot.
Cleaning
However, the pot lid handle must be removed and the lid cleaned where the handle attaches, if possible.
Note If the gap between the handle and lid cannot be completely cleaned, you may not use that lid for Passover and you normally may not kasher it if it becomes non-kosher. If the lid handle cannot be removed, consult a rabbi.
Pot or Pan Handle
A plastic handle that gets hot, especially if it is over a flame on a burner, may not be kashered. If the handle becomes non-kosher, it must be replaced. If a plastic handle connects directly to the metal of the utensil, consult a rabbi about what to do.
Food Nullification: Heat-Kashering
Three Methods of Heat-Kashering
Heat-Kashering is of three types: Libun, Hag'ala, and Eruy Rotchim.
By Torah law (d'oraita), any clean utensil, countertop, etc., automatically reverts to neutral/pareve and kosher after not being heated to more than 120° F (49° C) for 24 hours.
But by rabbinic decree, utensils do not automatically become neutral/pareve even after 24 hours and must be kashered by heat (libun—direct heat; hag'ala—boiling in a pot; or eruy rotchim—pouring boiling water over item) or, if some types of glass, by soaking in water (meluy v'eruy ).
Changing Gender of Utensil
You may kasher a pot or cooking/eating utensil from:
- Non-kosher to kosher, or
- Year-round use (chametz) to kosher for Passover.
You may not intentionally kasher a utensil in order to change it from dairy to meat or meat to dairy; you must first kasher it from accidentally (or intentionally) non-kosher to kosher/pareve, or from non-Passover to Passover/pareve. You may then use it for either dairy or meat.
Once you have used it for that gender, the item retains that gender (unless you re-kasher it for Passover or you make it non-kosher first, then kasher it to neutral/pareve).
But if you accidentally heat meat with a dairy utensil or vice versa, you may kasher it back to its original gender by any one of the kashering methods, depending on how it became non-kosher.
Items/Materials that Can Be Kashered
The following materials can be kashered:
- Glass, including Corelle, if not used directly on the stove or oven. Glass does not change gender or other kosher status unless heated on a flame or in the oven. Unless it is heated in this way, glass does not ever need to be kashered (except for Passover) (see Meluy v'Eruy, below).Glass, including Corelle, if not used directly on the stove or oven. Glass does not change gender or other kosher status unless heated on a flame or in the oven. Unless it is heated in this way, glass does not ever need to be kashered (except for Passover) (see Meluy v'Eruy, below).Glass, including Corelle, if not used directly on the stove or oven. Glass does not change gender or other kosher status unless heated on a flame or in the oven. Unless it is heated in this way, glass does not ever need to be kashered (except for Passover) (see Meluy v'Eruy, below).
NOTE Glass used directly on fire or in the oven (kli rishon) cannot
be kashered except by heating in a kiln.
be kashered except by heating in a kiln.
- Granite (not granite composite)
- Marble
- Wood, if smooth (see notes on Eruy Rotchim, below)
- Metal, including stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminum.
Items/Materials that Cannot Be Kashered
- China
- Corian
- Corningware
- Crockpot
- Formica
- Glass that has been used directly (kli rishon) on a stove or in an oven; however it can be kashered in a kiln
- Granite (composite)
- Knives with Plastic Handles (knives with wooden handles may be kashered if there are no cracks in the wood and if the rivets do not have spaces that catch food and prevent you from cleaning it completely)
- Mixer-there might be exceptions. Consult a rabbi.
- Plastic
- Porcelain (Enamel)
- Pyrex (if used directly on stove or in oven--kli rishon)
- Rubber (synthetic)
- Silestone
- Silverstone
- Stoneware
- Teflon
- Toaster/Toaster Oven
- Waffle Iron.
Pot Lid Handle
Kashering
The handle on a pot lid does not need to be kashered for normal use during the year.
Reason It does not normally get hot.
Cleaning
However, the pot lid handle must be removed and the lid cleaned where the handle attaches, if possible.
Note If the gap between the handle and lid cannot be completely cleaned, you may not use that lid for Passover and you normally may not kasher it if it becomes non-kosher. If the lid handle cannot be removed, consult a rabbi.
Pot or Pan Handle
A plastic handle that gets hot, especially if it is over a flame on a burner, may not be kashered. If the handle becomes non-kosher, it must be replaced. If a plastic handle connects directly to the metal of the utensil, consult a rabbi about what to do.
Food Nullification: Heat-Kashering
Three Methods of Heat-Kashering
Heat-Kashering is of three types: Libun, Hag'ala, and Eruy Rotchim.
-
Libun (Direct Heat)
How It Works Burns up any residual food taste
What It Works On
Complete Burning (Libun gamur --heating metal red-hot). Stoves, ovens, grills, grates, baking pans, roasting pans, etc., that were ever used with direct heat MUST be kashered by heating to red-hot (libun gamur). Libun gamur works on anything except pottery (this is a rabbinic injunction since you might not do a good job).
Light Burning (Libun kal--heating metal hot enough to burn paper on the side opposite the one being heated). You may use this method whenever there is a question of whether an item needs libun. For example, food may have overflowed onto gas-stove grates. Due to safek, we use libun kal-- gas-stove grates do not need libun gamur.
Process
Libun Gamur The entire metal substance of a utensil, oven, or other cooking surface becomes red hot, but the item does not need to be red hot all at the same time: it may be heated sequentially as long as the entire surface gets red hot at some time. Libun gamur can be done by blowtorch or by placing the item in a kiln.
Libun Kal
- Direct a flame, such as a blowtorch, onto the inside of a pot. Pot is hot enough when a piece of paper that touches the outside of the utensil burns (it does not need to burst into flame, just to smolder), or
- Put the pot into the oven at 500 ° F for 40 minutes. (First, remove any non-metal handles; they will need to be kashered separately or not used.)
Waiting Time You do not need to wait at all before kashering by libun--and certainly not the 24 hours needed before kashering by hag'ala.
-
Hag'ala (Boiling)
How It Works
Any non-kosher or meat or milk taste is removed from the walls of the utensil during boiling (hag'ala). You may kasher a pot or utensil by either:
- Boil Method Boiling water within the pot to be kashered, and making the boiling water overflow, or
- Dip Method Dipping a smaller pot or utensil to be kashered into a larger pot of boiling water.
What It Works On
Pots and utensils that are used with liquids (meaning, liquid all the time) can be kashered by being immersed in boiling water (hag'ala). The utensil being kashered by hag'ala must be made of a material that can release flavor, such as metal or wood. Materials that cannot be kashered (except in a glazing furnace!) are pottery--and, by extension--china, enamel, and similar materials.
Note The Boil Method only helps if the utensil became non-kosher due to food inside the utensil. If the non-kosher food was on the outside of the utensil, you may only kasher it by the Dip Method or by libun kal.
Note The boiling water must reach at least the same temperature during kashering as when the utensil became non-kosher.
Note Once the Passover holiday has begun, chametz cannot be nullified with hot water/hag'ala (only libun can kasher something during Passover). You may only kasher during chol hamoed, not during the first and last (festival) days.
Note Whenever hag'ala is effective, you may instead use libun kal, since libun kal is a stronger form of kashering. Sometimes you may find it more convenient to use libun kal to kasher an item that needs only hag'ala.
Situation A metal pot of the opposite gender went through a dishwasher cleaning.
What To Do Even though the pot only needs hag'ala, you may instead kasher it by libun kal by putting it in an oven at 500° F (for this application).
Process
The Boil Method can be used as:
NoteFor whether the lid becomes non-kosher, consult a rabbi.
In Batel BaShishim, by the actual halacha, you do not need to wait at all before kashering. But the custom is to wait 24 hours--except in extreme circumstances--because it is too hard to figure out 1/60th. In Batel BaRov, you must wait 24 hours.
The Boil Method: Batel BaShishim
Using batel ba'shishim for the Boil Method is not customary. You may use it for emergencies ONLY; ask a rabbi in this case.
Example To kasher a spoon with the batel ba'shishim type of hag'ala, immerse the spoon in boiling water of a volume at least the volume of 60 spoons. No waiting is needed before kashering with this method.
The Boil Method: Batel BaRov
To kasher a pot or utensil by hag'ala using batel ba'rov:
- Batel BaShishim ("nullifying in 60 times" the volume), or
- Batel BaRov ("nullifying in a majority"--that is, boiling the item in water that is more than twice the volume but less than 60 times the volume of the non-kosher element).
NoteFor whether the lid becomes non-kosher, consult a rabbi.
In Batel BaShishim, by the actual halacha, you do not need to wait at all before kashering. But the custom is to wait 24 hours--except in extreme circumstances--because it is too hard to figure out 1/60th. In Batel BaRov, you must wait 24 hours.
The Boil Method: Batel BaShishim
Using batel ba'shishim for the Boil Method is not customary. You may use it for emergencies ONLY; ask a rabbi in this case.
Example To kasher a spoon with the batel ba'shishim type of hag'ala, immerse the spoon in boiling water of a volume at least the volume of 60 spoons. No waiting is needed before kashering with this method.
The Boil Method: Batel BaRov
To kasher a pot or utensil by hag'ala using batel ba'rov:
- Clean the pot or utensil well.
- Wait 24 hours after the pot or utensil was last heated to more than 120° F, or 49° C (such as when it was cleaned).
Reason Waiting 24 hours allows the taste to become “ruined” and then to be nullified (batel) in a majority (ba'rov) of boiling water.
Note During the 24-hour waiting period, you could still “use” the utensil for watering plants, etc., as long as the water remains under 120° F.
- Fill the pot to the brim with water.
- Bring the water in the pot to a boil.
-
Cause the water to overflow the entire rim of the pot by:
- Plunging something hot into the pot (any item that will not cause the water to stop boiling is OK), or
- Tilting the pot to slosh water over all of the pot's rim.
- Cool off the pot by dipping it in cold water or putting it under cold running water.
Note If you did not put the utensil under cold water, it is still kosher b'di'avad.
The Dip Method
To kasher a smaller pot or any other kasherable cooking or eating utensil by hag'ala, you may dip the pot or utensil into a large, kashered pot containing boiling water.
- If the pot in which you are kashering the items had been heated to 120° F (49° C), with food of that gender in the pot, or more within the previous 24 hours, the items you are kashering will assume the gender of the pot.
- If the pot in which you are kashering the items had NOT been heated to 120° F or more for at least 24 hours, any items that are kashered in it will become kosher and pareve.
Note When kashering a utensil by hagala, you may dip it into boiling water one part at a time; that is, you do not need to immerse the entire utensil under the water all at the same time. This is different from doing tevila since for tevila, the entire utensil must be immersed completely.
Calculating 24-Hour Waiting Time
Once a pot has become non-kosher due to any reason, if it gets heated to 120° F (49° C) or more with any food or liquid in it, you must wait another 24 hours from the latest heating before you can kasher it, since everything inside the utensil becomes non-kosher again.
Calculating Volume
If only part of a pot becomes non-kosher, as long as the pot was hot (over 120° F, or 49° C), the entire pot becomes non-kosher and its volume gets figured into the volume of water needed for boiling.
- Eruy Rotchim (Hot-Water Pour)
Process Pouring hot water over, for example, a sink to kasher it.
Waiting Time You must wait 24 hours before kashering by eruy rotchim.
Note Only items that became non-kosher by being poured onto, may be kashered via eruy rotchim.
Note Smooth-surfaced wood may be kashered through eruy rotchim (pouring boiling water) but ONLY if it became non-kosher through eruy. If it became non-kosher by being cooked or heated in an oven, it may not be kashered via eruy rotchim.
Note A wooden cutting board may be kashered if the board is smooth. If it has cracks and crevices, it can be sanded until smooth and then kashered.
Food Nullification: Meluy V'Eruy
Meluy V'Eruy To Kasher Glass
Halachically, “glass” includes Arcoroc, Corelle, crystal, Duralex, and Pyrex.
NOTE In pre-war Europe, where glass was expensive and hard to obtain, it was customary to kasher drinking glasses, especially for Passover, by soaking the glasses for three 24-hour periods (meluy v'eruy), as follows:
Step 1: Submerge glasses in cold water for 24 hours.
Step 2: Empty water, refill, and submerge glasses again.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2.
NOTE If any of these materials were heated directly on a flame or other heat source, they cannot be kashered by meluy v'eruy!
Passover: Dishes and Pots
See Passover: Special Pots.
For more details on kashering for Passover from the Star-K, click here.
NOTE On Passover, gender and chametz status DO get transferred through a stream of hot liquid back into the pouring container.
For more details on kashering for Passover from the Star-K, click here.
NOTE On Passover, gender and chametz status DO get transferred through a stream of hot liquid back into the pouring container.
Kashrut: Dairy/Meat: Drawers
Situation You find an eating or cooking utensil of one gender in a drawer of the opposite gender.
Status You may use the item without kashering it.
Status You may use the item without kashering it.
Kashrut: Dairy/Meat: Pot Spatters: Outside of Utensil, Below Normal Food Line
Situation A hot or cold meat utensil is empty or contains meat food. It receives a spatter of dairy below the normal food line and the spatter is less 1/60th of the volume of the pot.
Status
Status
- The food in the utensil (if any) is kosher in all cases.
- Pot is kosher after 24 hours without kashering.
Introduction to Taste (Ta'am) Transfer
Gender/Kashrut Status Transfer
Foods and kitchenware (pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and containers) can absorb taste from each other and so adopt a new gender or kosher status. They can change from:
Note You can sometimes change a utensil/container to kosher-pareve (see Kashering, below), but you cannot change a
Taste Absorption
Taste gets absorbed in three ways: Heat, pressure, and soaking.
Heat
To absorb taste, and therefore gender or kashrut status, through heat, a food or utensil must be heated to 120° F or more while:
NOTE Taste, gender, or non-kosher status do not travel upstream into the utensil that food is being poured from. Even if you pour hot liquid (pareve or of one gender) from a pot onto a non-kosher or opposite gender food, the genders are not transferred back through the stream of liquid to the pot, even if any or all of the elements are more than 120 degrees.
Situation You pour hot liquid from some pareve vegetables into a non-kosher sink that had hot in it within 24 hours. There are dishes or utensils in the sink.
Status The dishes do not change gender unless the hot liquid fills up from the sink onto them. If so, the dishes or utensils become non-kosher. But no gender change occurs through the stream of liquid back to the pot of vegetables.
Note If the non-kosher sink had not had anything hot (120 degrees or above) in it for at least 24 hours, no change of gender or kosher status happens at all.
Note On Passover, gender and chametz status DO get transferred through a stream of hot liquid.
Pressure
To absorb taste, and therefore gender or kashrut status, through pressure or short-term soaking, one of the items must be spicy/charif.
Soaking
To absorb taste, and therefore gender or kashrut status, through long-term soaking, the food must soak for specific amounts of time.
Note If the food or utensil is not hot (120° F or more), is not spicy/charif, and is not soaking for a long time, there is no gender or kashrut-status transfer.
Examples
You may use a non-kosher utensil for any cold food of the opposite gender, so you may:
Food and Kitchenware: Which Influences What
Hot or Spicy/Charif Foods
With hot (more than 120° F) or spicy/charif foods:
Foods and utensils/containers transfer taste to each other.
Cold or Non-Spicy Foods that Soak
With cold (less than 120° F) or non-spicy/charif foods that soak:
NOTE No substances (not salt, or any food...) absorb gender from the open air.
The 24-Hour Rule: Eino ben Yomo
Torah Law: Reverts to Kosher-Pareve
By Torah law, a utensil/container always reverts to kosher-pareve after 24 hours (since the taste of any absorbed food becomes ruined with time).
Rabbinic Law: Must Be Kashered
However, by rabbinic law, the utensil/container must be kashered before using.
NOTE Even by Torah law, a hot or spicy/charif food can revive the milk-meat or non-kosher status of another utensil/container (see below) even after 24 hours.
Accidentally or Intentionally
Food Hot and Accidentally Placed; Utensil Not Hot for 24 Hours
Kosher food hotter than 120° F (49° C) remains kosher if accidentally placed into a non-kosher, clean utensil that has not been heated to 120° F or more for at least 24 hours.
REASON After 24 hours, b'di'avad, the utensil has reverted to being kosher-pareve.
NOTE If the utensil had been “used” (heated to 120° F or more) within the preceding 24 hours, the hot food that accidentally entered the utensil would be non-kosher. Ask a rabbi for possible exceptions.
Food Hot and Intentionally Placed
If the hot food had been put into the utensil intentionally, the food would not be kosher.
REASON Chazal made a rule (takana) that if you intentionally place food of one gender into a utensil of the opposite gender and heat it to 120° F or more, the food is not kosher.
Foods and kitchenware (pots, pans, dishes, utensils, and containers) can absorb taste from each other and so adopt a new gender or kosher status. They can change from:
- Kosher to non-kosher,
- Kosher pareve (neutral) to kosher dairy or kosher meat, or
- Kosher Passover to kosher (or non-kosher) non-Passover.
Note You can sometimes change a utensil/container to kosher-pareve (see Kashering, below), but you cannot change a
- Gendered food to neutral-pareve, or
- Non-kosher food to kosher.
Taste Absorption
Taste gets absorbed in three ways: Heat, pressure, and soaking.
Heat
To absorb taste, and therefore gender or kashrut status, through heat, a food or utensil must be heated to 120° F or more while:
- Steamed with a halachically “liquid” food, or
- In wet physical contact with the food or utensil.
- Two hot pans, which are clean on their outsides, only transfer taste from one to the other if they are wet on the outside and are touching each other.
- A hot utensil placed onto a counter only transfers gender to the countertop if there is liquid or food at the point of contact.
NOTE Taste, gender, or non-kosher status do not travel upstream into the utensil that food is being poured from. Even if you pour hot liquid (pareve or of one gender) from a pot onto a non-kosher or opposite gender food, the genders are not transferred back through the stream of liquid to the pot, even if any or all of the elements are more than 120 degrees.
Situation You pour hot liquid from some pareve vegetables into a non-kosher sink that had hot in it within 24 hours. There are dishes or utensils in the sink.
Status The dishes do not change gender unless the hot liquid fills up from the sink onto them. If so, the dishes or utensils become non-kosher. But no gender change occurs through the stream of liquid back to the pot of vegetables.
Note If the non-kosher sink had not had anything hot (120 degrees or above) in it for at least 24 hours, no change of gender or kosher status happens at all.
Note On Passover, gender and chametz status DO get transferred through a stream of hot liquid.
Pressure
To absorb taste, and therefore gender or kashrut status, through pressure or short-term soaking, one of the items must be spicy/charif.
Soaking
To absorb taste, and therefore gender or kashrut status, through long-term soaking, the food must soak for specific amounts of time.
Note If the food or utensil is not hot (120° F or more), is not spicy/charif, and is not soaking for a long time, there is no gender or kashrut-status transfer.
Examples
You may use a non-kosher utensil for any cold food of the opposite gender, so you may:
- Eat cold (kosher) cereal out of a meat or non-kosher bowl, or
- Use a meat or non-kosher spoon to eat kosher ice cream.
Food and Kitchenware: Which Influences What
Hot or Spicy/Charif Foods
With hot (more than 120° F) or spicy/charif foods:
Foods and utensils/containers transfer taste to each other.
Cold or Non-Spicy Foods that Soak
With cold (less than 120° F) or non-spicy/charif foods that soak:
- Foods do not transfer taste to utensils/containers;
- Utensils/containers do NOT transfer taste to foods.
NOTE No substances (not salt, or any food...) absorb gender from the open air.
The 24-Hour Rule: Eino ben Yomo
Torah Law: Reverts to Kosher-Pareve
By Torah law, a utensil/container always reverts to kosher-pareve after 24 hours (since the taste of any absorbed food becomes ruined with time).
Rabbinic Law: Must Be Kashered
However, by rabbinic law, the utensil/container must be kashered before using.
NOTE Even by Torah law, a hot or spicy/charif food can revive the milk-meat or non-kosher status of another utensil/container (see below) even after 24 hours.
Accidentally or Intentionally
Food Hot and Accidentally Placed; Utensil Not Hot for 24 Hours
Kosher food hotter than 120° F (49° C) remains kosher if accidentally placed into a non-kosher, clean utensil that has not been heated to 120° F or more for at least 24 hours.
REASON After 24 hours, b'di'avad, the utensil has reverted to being kosher-pareve.
NOTE If the utensil had been “used” (heated to 120° F or more) within the preceding 24 hours, the hot food that accidentally entered the utensil would be non-kosher. Ask a rabbi for possible exceptions.
Food Hot and Intentionally Placed
If the hot food had been put into the utensil intentionally, the food would not be kosher.
REASON Chazal made a rule (takana) that if you intentionally place food of one gender into a utensil of the opposite gender and heat it to 120° F or more, the food is not kosher.
Kashrut: Dairy/Meat: Tiny Pot Spatters: Outside of Utensil, Above Normal Food Line
Situation
What To Do You must wash the pot off with cold water and soap.
Note This applies even if the pot had been used at 120° F (49° C) or more within 24 hours.
- The outside of a hot, empty pot of one gender gets a spatter of opposite-gender food ABOVE the normal food line.
- The spatter is less than 1/3600 of the normally used volume of the pot (instead of the normal criterion of 1/60th of the volume--this being 1/60th of 1/60th).
What To Do You must wash the pot off with cold water and soap.
Note This applies even if the pot had been used at 120° F (49° C) or more within 24 hours.
Kashrut: Dairy/Meat: Spills: Food onto Opposite Gender Utensil: Flow Chart
WERE BOTH FOOD AND UTENSIL LESS THAN 120° F?
YES
What to Do Wash off with cold water and soap.
Status Everything is kosher and may be used immediately.
NO
WAS THE UTENSIL CLEAN AND UNUSED at 120° F or more FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS?
Note Clean means no residual food, including pareve; this IS essential since the food or utensil or both were hot! If used at 120° F or more for pareve within 24 hours, ask a rabbi.
YES
Status
NO
IS THE SPILLED FOOD LESS THAN 1/60th of the volume of the commonly used capacity of the utensil (if the utensil is empty) OR less than 1/60th of the actual volume of food contained within the utensil?
YES
Status
Note If utensil had food in it and the spilled food was less than 1/60th of the volume of the food in the utensil, you may use the utensil immediately after cleaning it and you do not need to wait 24 hours.
NO (Spilled food was 120° F or more, OR the utensil not clean, OR the utensil was used within 24 hours, and spilled food is more than 1/60th of the utensil's volume)
Status
YES
What to Do Wash off with cold water and soap.
Status Everything is kosher and may be used immediately.
NO
WAS THE UTENSIL CLEAN AND UNUSED at 120° F or more FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS?
Note Clean means no residual food, including pareve; this IS essential since the food or utensil or both were hot! If used at 120° F or more for pareve within 24 hours, ask a rabbi.
YES
Status
- Food is kosher
- Utensil requires kashering.
- Wash utensil with cold water and soap.
- Wait 24 hours after the spill occurred before kashering it.
NO
IS THE SPILLED FOOD LESS THAN 1/60th of the volume of the commonly used capacity of the utensil (if the utensil is empty) OR less than 1/60th of the actual volume of food contained within the utensil?
YES
Status
- Food is kosher.
- Utensil is kosher after 24 hours.
Note If utensil had food in it and the spilled food was less than 1/60th of the volume of the food in the utensil, you may use the utensil immediately after cleaning it and you do not need to wait 24 hours.
NO (Spilled food was 120° F or more, OR the utensil not clean, OR the utensil was used within 24 hours, and spilled food is more than 1/60th of the utensil's volume)
Status
- Food is non-kosher.
- Utensil is non-kosher.
Kashrut: Dairy/Meat: Spills: Food onto Opposite Gender Utensil: Flow Chart
WERE BOTH FOOD AND UTENSIL LESS THAN 120° F?
YES
What to Do Wash off with cold water and soap.
Status Everything is kosher and may be used immediately.
NO
WAS THE UTENSIL CLEAN AND UNUSED at 120° F or more FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS?
Note Clean means no residual food, including pareve; this IS essential since the food or utensil or both were hot! If used at 120° F or more for pareve within 24 hours, ask a rabbi.
YES
Status
NO
IS THE SPILLED FOOD LESS THAN 1/60th of the volume of the commonly used capacity of the utensil (if the utensil is empty) OR less than 1/60th of the actual volume of food contained within the utensil?
YES
Status
Note If utensil had food in it and the spilled food was less than 1/60th of the volume of the food in the utensil, you may use the utensil immediately after cleaning it and you need not wait 24 hours.
NO (Spilled food was 120° F or more, utensil not clean, utensil used within 24 hours, spilled food is more than 1/60th of the utensil's volume)
Status
Note In this section, meat spilled onto a dairy utensil and dairy spilled onto a meat utensil are treated the same.
YES
What to Do Wash off with cold water and soap.
Status Everything is kosher and may be used immediately.
NO
WAS THE UTENSIL CLEAN AND UNUSED at 120° F or more FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS?
Note Clean means no residual food, including pareve; this IS essential since the food or utensil or both were hot! If used at 120° F or more for pareve within 24 hours, ask a rabbi.
YES
Status
- Food is kosher
- Utensil requires kashering.
- Wash utensil with cold water and soap.
- Wait 24 hours after the spill occurred before kashering it.
NO
IS THE SPILLED FOOD LESS THAN 1/60th of the volume of the commonly used capacity of the utensil (if the utensil is empty) OR less than 1/60th of the actual volume of food contained within the utensil?
YES
Status
- Food is non-kosher.
- Utensil is kosher.
Note If utensil had food in it and the spilled food was less than 1/60th of the volume of the food in the utensil, you may use the utensil immediately after cleaning it and you need not wait 24 hours.
NO (Spilled food was 120° F or more, utensil not clean, utensil used within 24 hours, spilled food is more than 1/60th of the utensil's volume)
Status
- Food is non-kosher.
- Utensil is non-kosher.
Note In this section, meat spilled onto a dairy utensil and dairy spilled onto a meat utensil are treated the same.
Introduction to Blood in Meat
Status of Blood in Meat
Blood is generally forbidden to be eaten. However:
Normally, meat must be soaked and salted within three days of being slaughtered.
REASON The blood may have solidified by then and will not be completely removed by salting. If you were to cook such meat, the blood would move and the meat would become non-kosher.
But, even after three days, you may broil or grill and then EAT the meat, as broiling forces out any blood that will come out. But you may not then COOK it afterward.
Blood is generally forbidden to be eaten. However:
- Blood that has not moved from where it was in the animal before the animal was killed may be eaten--but only if eaten raw.
- Blood in veins and arteries may not be eaten. If meat is cooked with this blood still inside the meat, the meat is non-kosher. (During kosher butchering, the main veins and arteries are removed.)
- Capillary blood is permitted once the animal is dead.
- After meat has been salted, even if pink liquid comes out, the meat is still kosher.
Normally, meat must be soaked and salted within three days of being slaughtered.
REASON The blood may have solidified by then and will not be completely removed by salting. If you were to cook such meat, the blood would move and the meat would become non-kosher.
But, even after three days, you may broil or grill and then EAT the meat, as broiling forces out any blood that will come out. But you may not then COOK it afterward.
NOTEThere is no time limit for broiling the meat and making it kosher if done this way, but consult a rabbi for such cases.
Passover: Kitniyot in Passover Utensil
Situation Kitniyot were cooked in a Passover utensil.
Situation 1 The kitniyot's volume was less than 50\% of the volume of food cooked in that utensil.
Status The food may be eaten and the utensil may be used on Passover (no need to kasher).
Situation 2 The kitniyot's volume was more than 50\% of the volume of the food cooked in that utensil.
Status The food is not permitted to be eaten.
Situation 2a The kitniyot's volume was more than 50\% of the volume of the food cooked in that utensil, and the total volume of the food cooked (kitniyot + non-kitniyot) was less than the normal volume of food which is cooked in that utensil.
Status The utensil may be used even without kashering, as long as you wait at least 24 hours after the utensil has been cleaned.
Situation 2b The kitniyot's volume was more than 50\% of the volume of the utensil itself and more than 50\% of the normal volume of food cooked in it.
Status You may not eat the food (until after Passover) and must kasher the utensil after waiting 24 hours.
NOTE You may only kasher a utensil on chol ha'moed but NOT on the festival days themselves.
Situation 1 The kitniyot's volume was less than 50\% of the volume of food cooked in that utensil.
Status The food may be eaten and the utensil may be used on Passover (no need to kasher).
Situation 2 The kitniyot's volume was more than 50\% of the volume of the food cooked in that utensil.
Status The food is not permitted to be eaten.
Situation 2a The kitniyot's volume was more than 50\% of the volume of the food cooked in that utensil, and the total volume of the food cooked (kitniyot + non-kitniyot) was less than the normal volume of food which is cooked in that utensil.
Status The utensil may be used even without kashering, as long as you wait at least 24 hours after the utensil has been cleaned.
Situation 2b The kitniyot's volume was more than 50\% of the volume of the utensil itself and more than 50\% of the normal volume of food cooked in it.
Status You may not eat the food (until after Passover) and must kasher the utensil after waiting 24 hours.
NOTE You may only kasher a utensil on chol ha'moed but NOT on the festival days themselves.
Introduction to Jewish Festivals and Food Preparation
Food preparation forbidden on Jewish festivals includes these forbidden melachot:
- Preparing soil for planting (choreish)
- Causing plants to grow (zorei'a)
- Harvesting (kotzeir)
- Gathering (mi'ameir)
- Threshing (dash; such as milking a cow into clean container or squeezing juice for drinking)
- Winnowing (zoreh)
- Selecting (boreir) (for exceptions, see Introduction to Jewish Festivals: Selecting/Boreir)
- Grinding (tochein) (Grinding may be OK with a shinu'i; ask a rabbi for specific cases)
- Sifting (merakeid).
Note You may not use electric appliances to knead dough and you may not turn on an electric oven.