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4.9 from 189 votes

Cholent

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

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

Ingredients

  • 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)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large slow cooker (the larger the better!), place the potatoes in a single layer on the bottom of the cooking vessel.
  2. Sprinkle the onions over the potatoes.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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

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

% 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.