Mail-Order Kashrut, First Cut
Like a lot of people that have re-entered a more observant life, I live in a city that offers little in terms of kosher provisions. One of our local Kroger stores has a small kosher section and stocks Rubashkin and Empire meat and poultry products. This causes us to do a lot of shopping on-line for kosher products. Our most recent venture was with one of the Kosher Blog Google advertisers - Blackwing Meats. Yes, we ordered bison steaks. In some ways on-line kashrut is like all kashrut. We look for a reliable hechsher. No problem here for us as Blackwing is OU. Given the expense, we’re also looking for something new and different. Check and double check, not a lot of bison at my bubbe’s table. On-line kashrut diverges from kosher grocery shopping (now for something intuitively obvious) when we start thinking about shipping costs and quality. Here we caught a break. Blackwing Meats is in Illinois and we’re in Kentucky. We were able to opt for ground transport and saved a lot. The meat arrived still frozen and in excellent condition packed in styrofoam with blue ice.
Last night we sampled the bison steaks. Bison is by reputation very lean and requires a little bit of extra oil to prevent sticking. I pan seared the steaks with a little pepper and garlic. The result was very nice. A B+ for flavor, but a B- for tenderness. Next time an overnight marinade is in order. The overall impression is that this was a B+ experience when it comes to on-line kashrut when considering cost ($7.99/12oz), shipping and food quality.
They tell me glatt kosher elk is coming next.
Next, try koshervenison.com/. They’re in upstate NY. Of the ‘game-meats’ I’ve tried, I like venison the best.
I would love to hear more recommendations regarding on-line kashrut experiences. I live in the boonies.
BS”D
My mom was telling me that kosher meat is becomeing less and less available in Louisville. I’m sorry to see it confirmed by you, Jon. She was telling me that Kroger is itself stocking less and less meat. That dearth of fresh kosher food, as well as the dearth of Jewish educational opportunities, is what keeps more Jews from moving into the area. At least the JCC has kosher restaurants of sorts. It would be nice to see more, though.
Craig Winchell
I’d like to say that we had one of the several outstanding Gan Eden reds with the bison steaks - but I can’t. These too are in short supply in Louisville.
BS”D
I noted that Blackwing Meats seems to sell OU hechshered and nonhechshered Bison, as well as ostrich and free range chicken which is, obviously, not kosher. Please note that one must specifically request hechshered, glatt kosher bison.
Craig