Cholent

Name: Cholent
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 17 h
Total time: 17 h 20 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds large red potatoes; 2 whole onions; 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or brisket; 2 marrow bones; 1 cup dried beans -; 1/2 cup pearl barley or coarse-grain kasha; 3 whole garlic cloves; 6 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 quart low sodium chicken broth; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne; 1 Kishke; water

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4.9

189 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
17 hrs
Total Time
17 hrs 20 mins
Servings
12 servings
Calories
248 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Middle Eastern

Cholent

Iris Warren

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A savory slow-cooked stew for Shabbat with meat, potatoes, and beans. Also known as chamin, dafina, or skhina.

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Ingredients

Servings

2 1/2 pounds large red potatoes, peeled and halved (for a smaller slow cooker, use 2 lbs)
2 whole onions, chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or brisket, cut into chunks (for a smaller slow cooker, use 2 lbs)
2 marrow bones
1 cup dried beans - lima, pinto, chickpeas, red beans (not kidney), or a mixture
1/2 cup pearl barley or coarse-grain kasha (optional - for gluten free, do not use pearl barley)
3 whole garlic cloves
6 eggs (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (if spice sensitive use 1/4 tsp)
1 quart low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (if spice sensitive use just a pinch)
1 Kishke (optional - we never add this, but many families like it)
water (varies)

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Instructions

In a large slow cooker (the larger the better!), place the potatoes in a single layer on the bottom of the cooking vessel.
Sprinkle the onions over the potatoes.
Place the beef in a single layer on top of the onions and potatoes. Place the two marrow bones in the meat. If you're adding a kishke, now would be the time to put it in the cooker.
Rinse the beans clean, checking for any stones or impurities. If using barley or kasha, do the same with the grains. Sprinkle the beans (raw or pre-soaked) and optional grains over the top of the meat. Place the three whole garlic cloves into the meat, evenly spaced. Sprinkle the whole mixture with the black pepper.
If using eggs, rinse them well and then tuck them into the meat. In a 4-cup container, whisk together the low sodium chicken broth, kosher salt, paprika, turmeric, cumin and cayenne.
Pour the liquid over the cholent. Add additional water until all of the beans and pieces of meat are covered. For us, it's usually another 1-2 cups of water in our slow cooker-- it will vary; I usually add a bit more liquid if using grains, because they will soak it up.
Cover the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 16 hours. Check occasionally as it's cooking; add additional water and stir a bit if it's looking too dry. Most cookers will auto-switch to warm when the cooking is complete. If yours doesn’t, set it to warm until ready to serve.
It will look a bit medieval when it's done cooking! Don't worry, just dig in and you'll see that it's perfectly cooked below the surface. Peel the eggs before serving the cholent.
To cook this recipe in the oven, layer the ingredients in a large heavy 7-8 quart Dutch oven. Make sure you have enough liquid to just cover all ingredients. Cover with lid and cook cholent at 200 degrees F for 12-16 hours.

Notes

You will also need: 6-8 quart slow cooker
Note: The beans in this recipe will soften without any pre-soaking due to the long slow cooking process, however they will be easier to digest with a simple quick soak prior to cooking. To do this, place the beans into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The beans will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion. Bring the beans to a boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Let them soak in the cooking water for 1 hour, then drain and rinse well before proceeding with the recipe. Also note that it is not recommended to slow-cook kidney beans.
Note: The beans in this recipe will soften without any pre-soaking due to the long slow cooking process, however they will be easier to digest with a simple quick soak prior to cooking. To do this, place the beans into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The beans will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion. Bring the beans to a boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Let them soak in the cooking water for 1 hour, then drain and rinse well before proceeding with the recipe. Also note that it is not recommended to slow-cook kidney beans.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 248kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 33g (11%) Protein 11g (22%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 82mg (27%) Sodium 656mg (27%) Potassium 775mg (22%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 282IU (6%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 42mg (4%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 248 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	248kcal	12%
Carbohydrates	33g	11%
Protein	11g	22%
Fat	9g	14%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Cholesterol	82mg	27%
Sodium	656mg	27%
Potassium	775mg	16%
Fiber	5g	20%
Sugar	2g	4%
Vitamin A	282IU	6%
Vitamin C	9mg	10%
Calcium	42mg	4%
Iron	3mg	17%