Many Americans like to enjoy a hot dog at a barbeque. But some of those Americans are Jewish and so keep kosher.
Before you get Nathan’s Hot Dogs, you should know if you and your loved ones can eat them. Then, you can make sure not to leave anyone out at your next event.
Does Nathan’s Sell Kosher Hot Dogs?
Nathan’s hot dogs are 100% beef, but they aren’t technically kosher. They don’t have rabbinic supervision, which would make the hot dogs kosher. However, many Jewish people will still eat the hot dogs.
If you want to keep kosher, you may want to avoid Nathan’s to be safe. You can find kosher hot dogs from other brands.
What Makes Food Kosher?
To be kosher, food must meet certain requirements. Many people know that pork isn’t kosher, which is why you may wonder if the beef hot dogs from Nathan’s are safe to eat. However, at least at first, the company didn’t have rabbinical supervision.
That means someone is on hand to ensure that a company follows kosher preparation. You have to wash the meat to make sure there’s no blood in it for the meat to be kosher. A kosher kitchen also has to separate meat and dairy products, including the utensils you use with them.
Also, the animals have to be slaughtered in a specific way. A shochet is a butcher who has special training to ensure they follow Jewish laws when preparing the meat.
Why Nathan’s Hot Dogs Aren’t Kosher
Nathan’s Hot Dogs aren’t kosher because they don’t have rabbinic supervision in the manufacturing plant. They also might not use shochets to prepare the meat.
So while they don’t contain pork, you can’t eat them if you’re keeping kosher. However, you can eat Nathan’s relish which is kosher according to OU Kosher.
Kosher Hot Dog Brands
If you want to enjoy hot dogs or share some with your Jewish friends, you should consider a few brands that are kosher. That way, you can keep kosher, and you can keep from excluding your loved ones from the meal.
Even if you don’t care about keeping kosher, you never know who does care. If you’re inviting Jewish friends to a party, you should have at least one option for them to eat. Just make sure you use a separate grill if you want to make pork hot dogs as well.
Here are a few kosher hot dog brands to try.
Hebrew National
Hebrew National uses 100% kosher beef to make its hot dogs. They sell a variety of hot dogs, from original beef franks to reduced-fat beef franks. You can try all of the different options until you find something you like.
The company follows strict standards to ensure they don’t accept any beef that isn’t kosher. Plus, the hot dogs have a mix of spices, so they can taste just as good as pork hot dogs. That mix includes kosher salt, which is an important step in preparing kosher meat.
Jack’s Gourmet
Jack’s Gourmet is another brand that makes fantastic kosher hot dogs. These hot dogs are made with plenty of spices, including garlic. You can eat them with or without condiments, and they can taste great.
Of course, you can cook them on the grill. However, you can also sautee them or put them in the microwave if you want something quick. The brand sells both standard hot dogs and stadium hot dogs, and everything is kosher.
A & H
A & H sells some amazing kosher beef hot dogs. Along with beef, there are some seasonings in the hot dog to add flavor. You can eat the hot dog by itself or add all of the standard condiments that you’d add.
Like the other kosher brands, A & H has followed the same strict standards for decades. That can make you and any other Jewish friends feel better about eating them.
Final Thoughts
Keeping kosher may seem like a small thing, but it’s important to many Jews. Whether you’re Jewish or have Jewish friends, consider hot dog brands other than Nathan’s. They may sell beef hot dogs, but there are other kosher rules that the company doesn’t follow. The last thing you want is to accidentally not keep kosher.