what order to you place your chulent

ruby slippers

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 9:11 am

Was thinking this over Shabbos- for so many years I have always put bones, potatoes, meat then beans/barley, spices etc. Does anyone place the ingredients in a different order- do you think it makes a difference?

Lady Bug

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 9:43 am

I can see the logic in layering the beans on top, because they tend to get stuck to the bottom of the pot faster than potatoes or meat.

lizard8

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 10:29 am

The beans, barley potato, onion can all be put in together.
I wouldn't put the meat first because the bottom sometimes gets crispy.

Scrabble123

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 10:29 am

lovelife123 wrote:

do you all sautee your onions and meat?

My friend makes an out of this world cholent with no onions and no sauteed meat.

She just uses two packs of beans, one of barley, only 1 potato, 1 cheek, 2 packs cholent bones, 1 pack cholent meat, 1 shoulder, occasional lamb and/or chicken feet, and puts in raw eggs (to be eaten when they are browned). She adds in garlic boxes, salt, pepper, paprika, and chicken soup instead of water (and of course potato kugel and kishke). It's made in a crockpot and I guess the reason it's so good is because it is has a lot of meat.

sky

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 10:31 am

I don't sautee anything.

I find when I put my onions and garlic on top the flavor is much better. Or one onion on the bottom and one on top so the flavors really mix. I also put the spices on top so they mix with everything better.

I make sure the meat is fully submerged.

mandr

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 11:17 am

I freeze containers of sauteed onions (usually dear FIL is kind enough to supply me with them) so I just scoop out a bunch for cholent as needed. I don't find order makes a difference because you can mix it all up, also beans float to the top. I put in meat 2-3 hours later (after we've eaten some for lunch) so that I'm not dealing with raw meats when I want some for lunch (I set it up Fri morning before work). I add stuff that you need to mix up: spicy brown mustard, bbq sauce, pressed fresh garlic, etc. I wouldn't leave those in a clump.

Scrabble123

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 11:20 am

mandr wrote:

If you put it up before you leave for work there should not be any raw meat when you come home.

Pooh

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 1:11 pm

In crock pot: beans and barley first then sautéed meat and onions (recently switched this it used to be potatoes and yams next but meat used to get hard since it was touching air) potatoes and yams 1 garlic head eggs and jachnun in a tied plastic bag if I'm in the mood. Then spices (salt pepper paprika garlic powder onion soup mix chicken consome) then water

ms5771

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 1:20 pm

I'm recipe-oriented so the first time I made cholent, I followed a recipe that goes like: potatoes, beans and barley, chicken/meat, and then water/spices. But I always end up stirring it on erev shabbos so it gets mixed up.

I also have a recipe from my friend that I've tried that requires sauteing meat and spices, then adding potatoes, and then barley.

I don't think it matters, it all gets mixed up together Smile

mandr

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 3:35 pm

Scrabble123 wrote:

If you put it up before you leave for work there should not be any raw meat when you come home.

We're talking 3 hours on a slow cooker. I doubt it's safe to eat at that point. Plus the crock pot takes a while to actually reach a high enough temperature. If I put in pre-cooked meats (navel pastrami, kielbasa, etc.) then I have no problem popping those in when I set up the cholent.

watergirl

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 3:39 pm

Scrabble123 wrote:

Firstly, how big is her crock pot!?!? Secondly, that has to be the most expensive cholent in the world.

Elbowmac

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 6:31 pm

I do onions first (not sauteed). Then beans and barely. Then potatoes (sweet potato and Idaho). Then the bones (if I'm using some that week). Then the meat (not sauteed). Then the kishke (again, if I'm using some that week. I only put in 1-2 pieces, not a whole kishke). Then the spices and sauces at the top (onion powder, onion soup mix garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, paprika, ketchup, Dijon mustard, BBQ sauce). Then I add the water.

I either cook on low for 12 hours, then mix everything together and cook again for 8 hours. Or I cook on low for 20 hours, and mix everything together after.

The only difference I've noticed, putting beans and barley towards the bottom, is a slightly less watery chulent.

gittelchana

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 7:04 pm

eema1 wrote:

I stopped using bones because they stick to the crock pot and are hard to get out.

I don't know of any particular order. If you have something that's just there for flavor and is not meant to be eaten (such as an onion), leave that on the bottom.

Otherwise, any order works.

Scrabble123

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 8:17 pm

watergirl wrote:

Firstly, how big is her crock pot!?!? Secondly, that has to be the most expensive cholent in the world.

A medium sized crockpot. It is very expensive, but it tastes delicious, and she saves on other foods.

Scrabble123

Mon, Jan 12 2015, 8:18 pm

mandr wrote:

Honestly, you probably know your cooker better than I do, but after 2 hours I find that meat is edible. You can always check it and see how soft it is and if it's ready to be eaten... Or you can make it Thursday night before you go to sleep... yumm....