Traditional Jewish Cholent Recipe
Cholent is a traditional Jewish stew characterized by its long cooking time. Eastern European cholent usually incorporates ingredients such as barley, beans, and meat, with variable seasonings.
Cholent is traditionally cooked on Friday, before the Jewish Sabbat, when all work is forbidden.
On Sabbat, the flavors will already infuse, the beans will soften, while tougher cuts of meat will become juicy and tender due to the long cooking time.
The dish was invented in Israel and the Middle East, and then spread to North Africa. By the 9th century, it could already be found in Spain.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 pounds large red potatoes, peeled and halved
2 whole onions, chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or brisket, cut into chunks
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)
3 whole garlic cloves
6 eggs (optional)
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 (optional)
Water (varies)
DIRECTIONS ON TRADITIONAL JEWISH CHOLENT RECIPE
In a large slow cooker, 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.
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. Peel the eggs before serving the cholent.
Using 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.
HERE ARE SOME ISRAELI RECIPES
RECIPE VIDEO
MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE,BUT BY EVERY WORD(JESUS) THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.kjv
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds large red potatoes
2 whole onions, chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or brisket
2 marrow bones
1 cup dried beans - lima, pinto, chickpeas, red beans
1/2 cup pearl barley or coarse-grain kasha (optional)
3 whole garlic cloves
6 eggs (optional)
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 (optional)
Water (varies)
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, 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.
- 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. Peel the eggs before serving the cholent.
- Using 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.
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Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds large red potatoes
2 whole onions, chopped
2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat or brisket
2 marrow bones
1 cup dried beans - lima, pinto, chickpeas, red beans
1/2 cup pearl barley or coarse-grain kasha (optional)
3 whole garlic cloves
6 eggs (optional)
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 (optional)
Water (varies)
Instructions
- In a large slow cooker, 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.
- 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. Peel the eggs before serving the cholent.
- Using 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.