Cholent
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
17 hrs
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Total Time
17 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
248 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Cholent
Description
This recipe layers peeled and halved red potatoes at the slow cooker's base, topped with chopped onions, beef stew meat, and marrow bones. Raw or pre-soaked dried beans and optional pearl barley are added along with whole garlic cloves. The mixture is seasoned with black pepper, kosher salt, paprika, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne, and covered with a broth spiced liquid and additional water to submerge the ingredients.
The slow cooking process allows the tough beef and dried beans to soften fully, blending savory beef flavors with earthy spices and the mild sweetness of potatoes. The marrow bones add a depth of richness. Eggs may be added whole to cook alongside the stew for a customary touch. The long, low-temperature cooking results in tender, deeply flavored meat and vegetables with a smooth, stew-like consistency.
Cholent pairs well with bread or as part of a larger meal and is often cooked in large quantities for communal dining. The option to pre-soak beans helps reduce cooking time and may aid digestion. Kidney beans should be avoided due to slow cooker preparation safety concerns.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds red potatoes peeled and halved (for a smaller slow cooker, use 2 lbs, large
- 2 whole onion chopped
- 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat cut into chunks (for a smaller slow cooker, use 2 lbs, or brisket
- 2 marrow bones
- 1 cup dried beans lima, pinto, chickpeas, red beans (not kidney), or a mixture
- 1/2 cup pearl barley optional - for gluten free, do not use pearl barley, or coarse-grain kasha
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 6 egg optional
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (if spice sensitive use 1/4 tsp)
- 1 quart chicken broth low sodium
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper if spice sensitive use just a pinch
- 1 kishke (optional - we never add this, but many families like it)
- water (varies)
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
- Use a large (6-8 quart) slow cooker for best results and ingredient capacity.
- Pre-soaking the beans by boiling and soaking for 1 hour improves digestibility but is not required.
- Do not use kidney beans in a slow cooker due to toxicity risks.
- Whole eggs can be cooked in the stew by tucking them among the meat and vegetables.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition 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% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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