Cholent

Name: Cholent
Total time: 15 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: jewish
Ingredients: 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks; 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks; 1/2 to 1 pound boneless beef short ribs, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks; Pepper, to taste; 3/4 cup pearl barley; 1/3 cup dried kidney beans; 1/3 cup dried navy beans; 1/3 cup dried cranberry beans; 3 cups chicken or beef broth; 2 tablespoons honey or molasses; 2 tablespoons smoked paprika; Salt to taste

Recipe from Jamie Geller

Adapted by Joan Nathan

Total Time: 12 to 15 hours
Rating: 4(349)
Comments: Read comments

The overnight Jewish stew, cholent, is typically started on Friday afternoon and allowed to cook overnight to be eaten at noon on the Sabbath. It is a flavorful, comforting slurry of beef short ribs, beans, potatoes, onions, honey and smoked paprika. This version is made in a slow cooker so those observing Sabbath need not tend to it. —Joan Nathan

Featured in: To Revive Jewish Dishes, Some Cooks Look to the Shtetl

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

2medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
1medium onion, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks
½ to 1pound boneless beef short ribs, cut in 1½-inch chunks
Pepper, to taste
¾cup pearl barley
⅓cup dried kidney beans
⅓cup dried navy beans
⅓cup dried cranberry beans
3cups chicken or beef broth
2tablespoons honey or molasses
2tablespoons smoked paprika
Salt to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Line the bottom of a slow cooker with the potatoes, the onion and then the short ribs, sprinkling the meat with pepper to taste.
Step 2
Scatter the barley and the beans on top, then pour on the broth and the honey or molasses. Sprinkle with the paprika and salt to taste. Add enough water to cover all the ingredients. Cook on low for 12 to 15 hours, stirring occasionally (except during Shabbat, for those who observe it), adding more water if necessary. The longer the cholent cooks, the better it will be.

Ratings

4 out of 5

349 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Anne B7 years ago

My understanding is that kidney beans contain a toxin. To make them safe, they need to be soaked and then boiled for ten minutes. The problem with a slow cooker is that the beans may never get hot enough to eradicate the toxin. Indeed, the slow cooking may increase the toxin. See the following link: https://web.archive.org/web/20170310134645/https://www.fda.gov/Food/Food...

NK7 years ago

I have made this many times. The key is to not be wedded to the ingredients. If there are no cranberry beans get others. No barley? Farro will work. Just make sure to cook it for a long, long, long time at 250 in the oven.

Susan7 years ago

Warning, not gluten free! While this was noted to be gluten free in red on the top of this recipe, the barley is not a gluten free grain. I substituted course buckwheat (kasha), and it was delicious.

Fuegofan9 months ago

For a gluten free version, I find that wild rice is a good replacement for pearl barley. I see in another comment that someone recommended buckwheat, and that sounds like another good substitute.

Christina1 year ago

BOIL or soak all beans BEFORE adding to slow cooker. Follow instructions on beans. Likely slow cook fit much less time (5/6 hours?) after doing so but will ensure safety

AJ1 year ago

Does anyone know if I could leave this cooking for more like 18 hours?

Doc Martin5 months ago

It will dissolve into an albeit-delicious beige sludge, with burnt brown edges; trust me, been there, done that.

Private comments are only visible to you.