How Cutting Edge Kosher Beef Goes Above & Beyond
FreshDirect is excited to launch an exclusive partnership with Cutting Edge Foods, makers of Real Fresh Kosher Beef, a new-to-the-market kosher beef brand, diverse selection of meats. For years, we looked for a direct kosher beef sourcing opportunity, but this proved harder than expected. We finally met the perfect partner in Cutting Edge Foods, who share our commitment to sourcing and transparency. Like us, they believe you should know where what you eat comes from. That way, we can confidently share that information with you.
In diving into the kosher meat world, we had a lot of questions, and we found that you did too. From customer surveys, to visiting the plants, and speaking with our partners at Cutting Edge, we’ve learned a lot and wanted to share what goes into kosher certification and why this product is different from others.
What is the kosher process?
There are many steps in the traditional koshering process. These are the fundamental things to know:
Harvest
Cutting Edge’s kosher harvest facility uses the upright kosher slaughter method, designed by Dr. Temple Grandin, the country’s foremost expert on humane slaughter. Upright systems are not only more humane for the animals, but they are also more efficient and improve meat quality. Kosher harvest requires a rabbi to use a “sharp and smooth” blade as dictated by Jewish law (halacha), performing the act in a such a rapid and continuous manner that the animal appears to not feel it. At Cutting Edge’s harvest facility in Wellington, Kansas, cattle are humanely slaughtered in a way that does not stress the animal. Our team saw the process first hand and is confident about the way these animals are treated leading up to and during harvest.
Health Check
The next step is to have the rabbi inspect the overall condition of the animal with particular focus on the lung. The organ is checked for abnormalities to determine if the animal can be considered kosher.The meat is also deveined to ensure that no non-kosher parts of the animal are included in any of the cuts.
Soak & Salt
All kosher meat is put under cold water for 30 minutes, then covered in coarse salt and allowed to sit for about an hour before rinsing thoroughly to remove as much blood as possible. This process will sometimes give kosher meat a slightly salty taste.
Fabrication
All fabrication is done under the supervision of a rabbi. In order to ship product for further processing, the meat must be sealed completely with two kosher seals and can only be opened by a rabbi once it arrives at the processing facility. All of Cutting Edge’s seals are kept under lock and key, only to be opened under the supervision of their rabbinical staff to ensure that no non-kosher product is mislabeled. The final cutting and processing is done under further rabbinical observation and supervision, ensuring that the most stringent kosher standards are adhered to—there’s a reason we use “kosher” to mean “good” or “all right.” This extra layer of supervision leaves no doubt about what is on your plate.
We get a lot of questions about kosher meat and what makes it different. These are some of the most common:
Why Cutting Edge?
We put a lot of thought and research into choosing a kosher meat purveyor, and listened to feedback from our customers. Only Cutting Edge offered the taste, quality, tenderness, and supply chain transparency we were looking for, and were unable to find with other producers.
Where are the cattle from & how do they taste?
All Cutting Edge beef comes from black Angus cattle, exclusively raised in the midwest from under the Valley Pride cattle program, which is USDA third-party audited. Angus cattle produce a more marbled and tender cut of meat compared to old dairy cattle. Cutting Edge only selects the cattle from this program that qualify as kosher. The taste is clean, with a light saltiness, and an incredibly tender texture.
Ready to give Cutting Edge Real Fresh Kosher Beef a try? Shop all kosher beef here on FreshDirect.