The Kosher Kitchen - Kashrut Questions
In any kosher kitchen, it is only natural for questions to arise. What happens if you stir a pot of chicken soup with a dairy spoon? How are the spoon, pot and food affected? Can you kasher a particular type of pot, and if so, how must it be done? Whether one has just begun to keep kosher or has been doing so for years, it is important to ask a sha'alah (question in halachah or Jewish Law) of a Rabbi competent in halachic matters each time a situation in kashrut or any other area of Jewish life needs clarification.
Until the question is answered, set aside the utensils and/or food in question. For example, if a dairy knife was used to cut meat, remove the knife from the meat and wipe off all traces of meat from the knife, then set aside both the meat which was cut and the knife which was used. When there is a question, use only cold water. Never rinse these utensils with hot water.
Consulting a Rabbi: When a question regarding a utensil or food arises, consult an Orthodox Rabbi as soon as possible.
Keep in mind the circumstances and details involved in the situation. The Rabbi will tell you whether the utensils need to be koshered, and how to do it. (See Kashering Utensils above.) He will also indicate if the food is permitted. Some of the circumstances to describe to the Rabbi are:
*type(s) of food involved,
*type(s) of utensils, dishes or pots involved,
*the manner in which food was prepared (cooking, frying, broiling, etc.),
*whether the mix-up occurred in dishes or in cookware, and before or after the cooking process,
*the temperature of food or utensils: whether hot, cold, or room temperature,
*when the utensil was last used prior to the mix-up, and for which foods it was used,
*the amount of food involved.
Another type of question that can arise is when a pareve utensil comes in contact with hot meat or dairy foods, in which case it may become fleishig or milchig. In this situation, a sha'alah should be asked.
With each situation that arises, a new question should be asked, for the answer to each case is determined independently. One should not draw one's own conclusion based on an answer to a previous sha'alah.
