Leaving Raw Meat on the Stove from Before Shabbos
Q. If I want to put raw meat in an oven to slow-roast overnight and be ready to serve on Shabbos morning, what are the guidelines and relevant Halachos that I need to know?
It is Rabbinically forbidden to leave food in an oven or on a stove from before Shabbos, unless the food is cooked to the level of Maachal ben Drusai – one half cooked[1]. The reason for this Gezeira (Rabbinic safeguard) was because the Mishnaic sages were concerned that a person may stoke the coals of the fire on Shabbos to accelerate the cooking. Stoking the coals would constitute the Biblically forbidden Melacha of Havara – kindling. If the food is cooked to the point of Maachal ben Drusai before Shabbos came in, there is no concern of stoking the coals as there is no need to accelerate the cooking.
If the coals were covered or raked out from the stove, the food may be left on from before Shabbos, even if it is not yet cooked to the level of Maachal ben Drusai. Covering the fire serves as a reminder to prevent a person from stoking the coals. This is why we use a Blech when leaving food over a flame for Shabbos. Covering or removing the coals does not help for an oven[2].
There is an exception to the above laws in the case of raw meat.
The Shulchan Aruch[3] rules that one may place completely[4] raw meat into the oven or onto a stove just before Shabbos, even without a Blech. The rationale is that since the meat is completely raw, even if one were to stoke the coals, the food would still not be ready to eat at night. By morning, the meat would be able to cook by itself without any stoking required[5]. Therefore, there is no reason for concern.
This leniency ony applies to raw meat and not to raw vegetables and the like[6]. Meat takes a long time to cook and could not become ready to eat at night, even if the coals were stoked. Vegetables on the other hand cook easily and the concern of stoking the coals still remains. If the meat was cut into small pieces, some Poskim write that the exception of raw meat will not apply, as they too will cook quickly.
If there is even one piece of meat in the dish, this is sufficient to render the entire pot as though it were all “raw” and remove the concern of stoking the coals.
Some modern-day Poskim[7] write that the Heter of raw meat does not apply nowadays, as our ovens are capable of cooking food much more quickly and so the concern of raising the temperature to accelerate the cooking still applies. Even according to this view, the Heter would still apply in a crock-pot which is made for slow cooking.
The Ram”o[8] rules that the Heter of raw meat only applies if it is being cooked in a pot. The pot acts as a barrier to the heat of the oven, slowing down the cooking process. When the raw meat is roasted over open fire or coals, the heat is more intense and stoking can accelerate the cooking process so that the food could be ready at night. In this case, the concern of stoking the coals will apply[9].
If the meat is dry roasted in a closed oven, there are different Halachos and it will depend on the type of meat being cooked;
If the meat is from large animals, such as an ox, goat or ram, we are concerned that someone would open up the oven to stoke the coals. This is because larger animals have tougher meat and so opening the oven will not adversely affect the meat while it is roasting.
However, if the meat is from young goats, lamb or poultry, which have softer flesh, exposing the meat to air in the middle of cooking would adversely affect the meat. In this case there is no reason to worry that someone would open the oven in the middle of cooking to stoke the coals. Therefore, the meat of a kid, lamb or chicken may be left in an oven, whether it is completely raw or even partially cooked[10].
But the Shulchan Aruch further qualifies that this is only where the lamb or kid was cut up. If the lamb is roasted whole, it too would not be adversely affected by cool air and so the concern of opening the oven to stoke the coals would still apply.
The only Heter that would remain in these cases would be if the oven is sealed. Talmudic ovens were often sealed with clay to retain the heat. Since one would need to first open the seal to reach the food inside, this would give sufficient time to remember that it is Shabbos and that one may not stoke the coals.
All of the above follows the opinion of the Tur and the Ram”o in Shulchan Aruch. This is also the Psak of the Ashkenzai Acharonim including; Magen Avraham, the Alter Rebbe and Mishna Berura.
The multiple Halachos and different cases discussed above are presented in flowchart form at the end of this article.
Unlike Talmudic ovens which required stoking, modern-day ovens do not need to be opened in order to raise the temperature.
Therefore, it is arguable that all types of raw meat would be forbidden to open-roast in an oven. Similarly sealing the oven would not make a difference, since the temperature is adjusted from outside.
If one did leave raw meat or meat which had not yet cooked to Maachal ben Drusai over a fire in a forbidden manner, the meat may not be eaten by anyone until after Shabbos. On Motzai Shabbos one would also have to wait “Bichdei Sheyaasu” – the time it would take to cook the food starting from scratch after Shabbos ended.
However, this is only if it was left over an open fire. If the meat was placed erroneously inside a closed oven, even if the oven was not sealed as required, the meat is permitted Bedieved, even if it was the meat of an ox or other large animal. In this case we will rely on those Poskim who are leninient when the oven is not sealed[11].
________________________________
[1] There is a dispute between Rashi and Rambam whether the level of Maachal ben Drusai is half or one third cooked. As a result of the dispute, we adopt whichever opinion would be the stricter of the two.
[2] This is because an oven concentrates the heat more strongly. Some Poskim write that our ovens are different to the Talmudic ovens and have the same status as the stoves of the times of the Gemara.
[3] Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 253:1 and 254:1. See Shulchan Aruch Harav 253:8
[4] Shulchan Aruch Harav ibid. Most Acharonim require the meat to be completely raw. The Bach rules that raw includes any meat which is not yet cooked to Maachal ben Drusai.
[5] The leniency only applies where one’s intention is to eat the dish the following day. If one intends to eat of the food later in the night, the leniency would not apply as one has not put it out of their mind and may stoke the coals. See Biur Halacha Siman 253 ד"ה מסיח and Ketzos Hashulchan
[6] Shulchan Aruch Harav 254:8 Mishna Berura 254:5
[7] Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach quoted in Shvus Yitzchak.
[8] 254:1. The Mechaber follows the view of the Rambam who is lenient even when meat is roasted near or over the fire (unless it is directly on the coals which is forbidden in all instances). Even according to the Mechaber, this leniency only applies to the meat of a chicken, lamb or kid which has been cut up. Since these meats are soft, we are not concerned for stoking the coals as this would char them.
[9] Shulchan Aruch Harav 254:1
[10] Note that the leniency only applies when the meat is in an oven. Meat which is placed over an open fire will be forbidden in all instances, unless the meat was cooked to Maachal ben Drusai or unless there was a Blech.
[11] These Poskim follow the Lishna Basra (the alternate rendering) in the Gemara. Bach, Magen Avraham 254:11, Shulchan Aruch Harav 254:3 and Mishna Berura Biur Halacha ד"ה אבל בצלי. The Mishna Berura is even more lenient and Bedieved, will permit chicken or kid meat that was left over the fire outside of the oven, relying on the opinion of the Mechaber. The Alter Rebbe does not bring this additional leniency.
It is Rabbinically forbidden to leave food in an oven or on a stove from before Shabbos, unless the food is cooked to the level of Maachal ben Drusai – one half cooked[1]. The reason for this Gezeira (Rabbinic safeguard) was because the Mishnaic sages were concerned that a person may stoke the coals of the fire on Shabbos to accelerate the cooking. Stoking the coals would constitute the Biblically forbidden Melacha of Havara – kindling. If the food is cooked to the point of Maachal ben Drusai before Shabbos came in, there is no concern of stoking the coals as there is no need to accelerate the cooking.
If the coals were covered or raked out from the stove, the food may be left on from before Shabbos, even if it is not yet cooked to the level of Maachal ben Drusai. Covering the fire serves as a reminder to prevent a person from stoking the coals. This is why we use a Blech when leaving food over a flame for Shabbos. Covering or removing the coals does not help for an oven[2].
There is an exception to the above laws in the case of raw meat.
The Shulchan Aruch[3] rules that one may place completely[4] raw meat into the oven or onto a stove just before Shabbos, even without a Blech. The rationale is that since the meat is completely raw, even if one were to stoke the coals, the food would still not be ready to eat at night. By morning, the meat would be able to cook by itself without any stoking required[5]. Therefore, there is no reason for concern.
This leniency ony applies to raw meat and not to raw vegetables and the like[6]. Meat takes a long time to cook and could not become ready to eat at night, even if the coals were stoked. Vegetables on the other hand cook easily and the concern of stoking the coals still remains. If the meat was cut into small pieces, some Poskim write that the exception of raw meat will not apply, as they too will cook quickly.
If there is even one piece of meat in the dish, this is sufficient to render the entire pot as though it were all “raw” and remove the concern of stoking the coals.
Some modern-day Poskim[7] write that the Heter of raw meat does not apply nowadays, as our ovens are capable of cooking food much more quickly and so the concern of raising the temperature to accelerate the cooking still applies. Even according to this view, the Heter would still apply in a crock-pot which is made for slow cooking.
The Ram”o[8] rules that the Heter of raw meat only applies if it is being cooked in a pot. The pot acts as a barrier to the heat of the oven, slowing down the cooking process. When the raw meat is roasted over open fire or coals, the heat is more intense and stoking can accelerate the cooking process so that the food could be ready at night. In this case, the concern of stoking the coals will apply[9].
If the meat is dry roasted in a closed oven, there are different Halachos and it will depend on the type of meat being cooked;
If the meat is from large animals, such as an ox, goat or ram, we are concerned that someone would open up the oven to stoke the coals. This is because larger animals have tougher meat and so opening the oven will not adversely affect the meat while it is roasting.
However, if the meat is from young goats, lamb or poultry, which have softer flesh, exposing the meat to air in the middle of cooking would adversely affect the meat. In this case there is no reason to worry that someone would open the oven in the middle of cooking to stoke the coals. Therefore, the meat of a kid, lamb or chicken may be left in an oven, whether it is completely raw or even partially cooked[10].
But the Shulchan Aruch further qualifies that this is only where the lamb or kid was cut up. If the lamb is roasted whole, it too would not be adversely affected by cool air and so the concern of opening the oven to stoke the coals would still apply.
The only Heter that would remain in these cases would be if the oven is sealed. Talmudic ovens were often sealed with clay to retain the heat. Since one would need to first open the seal to reach the food inside, this would give sufficient time to remember that it is Shabbos and that one may not stoke the coals.
All of the above follows the opinion of the Tur and the Ram”o in Shulchan Aruch. This is also the Psak of the Ashkenzai Acharonim including; Magen Avraham, the Alter Rebbe and Mishna Berura.
The multiple Halachos and different cases discussed above are presented in flowchart form at the end of this article.
Unlike Talmudic ovens which required stoking, modern-day ovens do not need to be opened in order to raise the temperature.
Therefore, it is arguable that all types of raw meat would be forbidden to open-roast in an oven. Similarly sealing the oven would not make a difference, since the temperature is adjusted from outside.
If one did leave raw meat or meat which had not yet cooked to Maachal ben Drusai over a fire in a forbidden manner, the meat may not be eaten by anyone until after Shabbos. On Motzai Shabbos one would also have to wait “Bichdei Sheyaasu” – the time it would take to cook the food starting from scratch after Shabbos ended.
However, this is only if it was left over an open fire. If the meat was placed erroneously inside a closed oven, even if the oven was not sealed as required, the meat is permitted Bedieved, even if it was the meat of an ox or other large animal. In this case we will rely on those Poskim who are leninient when the oven is not sealed[11].
________________________________
[1] There is a dispute between Rashi and Rambam whether the level of Maachal ben Drusai is half or one third cooked. As a result of the dispute, we adopt whichever opinion would be the stricter of the two.
[2] This is because an oven concentrates the heat more strongly. Some Poskim write that our ovens are different to the Talmudic ovens and have the same status as the stoves of the times of the Gemara.
[3] Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 253:1 and 254:1. See Shulchan Aruch Harav 253:8
[4] Shulchan Aruch Harav ibid. Most Acharonim require the meat to be completely raw. The Bach rules that raw includes any meat which is not yet cooked to Maachal ben Drusai.
[5] The leniency only applies where one’s intention is to eat the dish the following day. If one intends to eat of the food later in the night, the leniency would not apply as one has not put it out of their mind and may stoke the coals. See Biur Halacha Siman 253 ד"ה מסיח and Ketzos Hashulchan
[6] Shulchan Aruch Harav 254:8 Mishna Berura 254:5
[7] Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach quoted in Shvus Yitzchak.
[8] 254:1. The Mechaber follows the view of the Rambam who is lenient even when meat is roasted near or over the fire (unless it is directly on the coals which is forbidden in all instances). Even according to the Mechaber, this leniency only applies to the meat of a chicken, lamb or kid which has been cut up. Since these meats are soft, we are not concerned for stoking the coals as this would char them.
[9] Shulchan Aruch Harav 254:1
[10] Note that the leniency only applies when the meat is in an oven. Meat which is placed over an open fire will be forbidden in all instances, unless the meat was cooked to Maachal ben Drusai or unless there was a Blech.
[11] These Poskim follow the Lishna Basra (the alternate rendering) in the Gemara. Bach, Magen Avraham 254:11, Shulchan Aruch Harav 254:3 and Mishna Berura Biur Halacha ד"ה אבל בצלי. The Mishna Berura is even more lenient and Bedieved, will permit chicken or kid meat that was left over the fire outside of the oven, relying on the opinion of the Mechaber. The Alter Rebbe does not bring this additional leniency.