Cant make a good....

toysrus

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 1:55 pm

Cholent. followed so many recipes, tips, advice and it just isnt good, please help

nw11

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:07 pm

For starters, do you have a slow cooker? With a decent slow cooker, making chulent is basically foolproof.

toysrus

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:11 pm

Pot...

imasoftov

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:18 pm

toysrus wrote:

Pot...

I don't know if that would improve the flavor but if that's what you want, https://www.jta.org/2012/11/12.....ulent

nw11

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:19 pm

Maybe it's time to invest in a slow cooker. I've only ever done it this way, and whilst I wouldn't say my chulent came out gourmet every week, never did it burn or flop.

I literally throw everything in, no searing the meat even (except the sautéed onions, but I do it in bulk and freeze). Here's my ingredient list: (If making it Thursday night or early Friday, will add the barley later so it doesn't stick)

[list]meat
potatoes
beans (that have been soaked overnight
barley/spelt
sautéed onions
ketchup/tomatoe purée
soy/teriyaki sauce
drop of mustard
tiny bit of brown sugar/honey
salt
black pepper
garlic powder
paprika powder
drop of hot chilli powder or similar
water to just barely cover

ra_mom

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:20 pm

nw11 wrote:

For starters, do you have a slow cooker? With a decent slow cooker, making chulent is basically foolproof.

Agreed. It's worth the $30 investment.

OOTBubby

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:47 pm

My cholent always ranged from mediocre to bad until I asked a caterer how to make it since I liked hers'. She told me to keep it simple; no sauces or anything like that. Just meat, beans, barley, potatoes, onions, garlic, salt & pepper. Nothing else other than may be a slice or 2 of kishka crumbled into the mixture. Now it is always fantastic.

SixOfWands

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 4:54 pm

imasoftov wrote:

I don't know if that would improve the flavor but if that's what you want, https://www.jta.org/2012/11/12.....ulent

Well, after a little while, no one will care how it tasted.

Bnei Berak 10

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 5:43 pm

What kind of would you like to do? The Ashkenazi type (on the sweet side) or the Mizrachi type? Do you by any chance happen to have a cast iron pot? Or what type of pot do you use?

Bnei Berak 10

Thu, Nov 02 2017, 6:18 pm

since I am in the schwung of doing my cholent now I just as well give you my method;
use a heavy thick heavy bottomed pot for best results. I have a cast iron pot from IKEA, excellent.
saute abt 1-2 onions (chopped) in oil until they turn transluscious. add 3/4 to a whole garlic head, separate pieces, peel them and crush or chop then, add to onion in pot. watch out not to burn garlic.
dry all meat pieces with paper towel. rub them in a mixture of salt and black ground pepper.
remove onions from pot. add oil to pot, heat it well until it just starts to smoke. fry meat in pot for a few minutes on each side( you may want to use a splatter lid). if a lot of meat, fry it in batches (too much meat or chicken cools down pot and you don't want that) the frying is giving the chulent a lot of taste, this is one of the secrets!
pick up meat, add about half a cup of dry red wine to hot pan. try to scrape bottom of the pan when it sizzles with wine (you want the meat fat to be released from pot)
add a bit of a water and: sweet paprika powder, smoked paprika powder (called Moroccan paprika in Israel) black ground pepper and salt. at least 1 heaped tbl spoon of each paprika type.
Add onion mix
layer: onion mix in bottom, then beans (I use chick peas and white and red beans, pre-soaked and pre cooked, divided in small packages in freezer) potatoes and last meat or chicken. cover with lid. add more water if needed. in the end of cooking process I add a small amount of barley. add more water if needed.
If you want, add kishke (I prefer home made and in a small roll wrapped up in baking paper)
NO funny sauces from the supermarket, NO ketchup or any industrial made thing!!
This is a Moroccan inspired (not authentic) "sechina" and no sugar in it (I personally have a huge problem with sweet cholent or any Polish styled food with sugar in it).