Food - Drink
What Is Jewish Barbecue (& Is It Kosher)?
By JESSIE MOLLOY
Jewish barbecue isn't too different from other styles of barbecue — it uses meats like beef, chicken, and lamb, prepared with classic smoky, slow-roasted flavors typical of BBQ.
However, Jewish barbecue delivers these meats by taking inspiration from classic Jewish cuisine and considering religious dietary restrictions, keeping it kosher by not using pork.
Brisket, a tough cut of meat, is ideal for barbecues since it needs long, slow cooking. The Jewish immigrants of New York have long been preparing it as corned beef and pastrami.
Brisket stars in Jewish barbecue for these good reasons, and Jewish pitmasters also imitate BBQ pork products by creating beef sausages, lamb bacon, and even chicken chitlins.
While most Jewish-style BBQ spots use kosher meat, they don't necessarily keep kosher in their cooking practices, so kosher diners ought to eat carefully or do some BBQ themselves.