Kosher Traditional Meat Cholent

By
Giora Shimoni
Giora Shimoni
A kosher food enthusiast and home cook with hundreds of published recipes, Giora Shimoni has worked in online publishing for over 20 years.
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Updated on 06/1/22
Traditional meat cholent

The Spruce

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
342 Calories
8g Fat
44g Carbs
24g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 342
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 50mg 17%
Sodium 377mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Protein 24g
Calcium 100mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Jewish law prohibits lighting a fire and cooking on the Sabbath. So how can an observant Jewish family eat a hot, nourishing meal on Sabbath? Cholent, a slow-cooked, bean-barley stew, has been the answer for centuries. Legumes are economical, and also ideally suited for slow cooking. While today there is a great variety of cholent recipes influenced by different traditions, this recipe follows the classic meat cholent.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound dried beans (lima, navy, Great Northern, chickpeas, or a mix)
  • 3 pounds potatoes
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean flanken (cut in cubes)
  • 3 onions
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 4 quarts water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for kosher traditional meat cholent
    The Spruce 

  2. Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain.

    Soak the beans in water
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  3. Place the remaining ingredients, along with the soaked and drained beans, in a large Dutch oven.

    Place ingredients in pot
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  4. Bring to a boil. Skim froth from the top.

    Bring to a boil, skim from the top
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  5. Lower heat and cover tightly. Cholent may be baked for 24 hours at 250 F. (For quicker cooking, bake at 350 F for 4 to 5 hours.)

    Lower heat
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  6. Serve and enjoy!

    Serve and enjoy
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Keep in Mind

  • Water should cover throughout the cooking process so the cholent won't become dry. Check the water before going to bed on Friday night and add more if necessary. Recheck the water in the morning and add more if necessary.
  • Before the Sabbath begins, lay 4-6 hard-boiled eggs in their shells on top of the stew in the pot. Cover. The eggs will turn a light brown color and absorb the flavor of the stew. At the meal, gently remove the eggs from the stew, peel away the shells, cut into quarters and serve along with the cholent.
  • Pickles are a traditional accompaniment with cholent.
  • Serve cholent for the Saturday Sabbath lunch. It's a rich and heavy meal, so eat a small portion.

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