Cholent -HELP | Imamother

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 1:53 pm

I am the OP of the potato kugel HELP thread.
I received a ton of information and help and tricks how to make the best kugel (there are many bests) and I am so thankful for that.

I am now on a mission to learn how to make the best cholent.

Can we all share our secret ingredients , all ingredients, Method, and instructions.
Crock pot , stove, oven, any method accepted.
Please also specify which beans you use, which cuts of meats, temperate , etc.

I think most cholents are good at first but by shabbos morning it’s bla.

Anyone care to help a Mama out ?

Thank you.

amother

Sunflower

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:03 pm

Yay! Let's get this party started!

The only trick I know, from a cholent pro, is to start off every cholent with a lot of sauteed onions and (if you're using meat) browning the meat in the same frying pan.

And barley. Lots of barley.

amother

Skyblue

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:05 pm

My secret ingredient is that I save the gravy from regular roasted chicken iwth spices (onion, garlic, season salt, paprika) and I add it into the cholent for flavor. I don't do that every week though.

I use a 6 qt crockpot, the kind with a flat base and flat glass top. I saute an onion or 2, add 1 family pkg of meat (its called tender chuck stew I think at Gourmet Glatt), and 1/2 bag of barley, 1/2 bag of cholent beans pre-soaked from the night before, and 2 or 3 potatoes. I add spices - a generous pour of paprika, season salt, table salt, onion powder, garlic powder (probably 1 T each I'm guessing), and then 2 heaping T of onion soup mix, 2 T of honey, and 2 T of ketchup. Then I add gravy if I have. Add some water. And when its mostly cooked, I take off the plastic wrapper from a meal mart kishka loaf, wrap it in parchment paper, and add on top.

My family says my cholent is really good, but I don't often eat it (too salty/carby, and I try to avoid red meat). They seem to like it! They even eat the leftovers Smile

tweety1

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:08 pm

Somebody on here told me the trick to meat being buttery soft is to put it into the Crockpot without cutting it onto pieces. If that's you, THANKS! I use bone in flanken and finger meat, sometimes cheek meat. It's literally melt in the mouth.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:09 pm

amother Sunflower wrote:

I’m excited for this too. (Ssshhh.. I love Cholent- way more than kugel , but both together with sour pickles is why Jews remain frum) it’s a joke, I hope that’s clear to all.

Ok, I’m already off to a bad start. I really dislike the smell of sautéed onions. And you’re saying lots of it. (By any chance garlic too? Because that smell will make me open both of my kitchen hoods) however I’m in it for the real deal, so bring it on.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:11 pm

amother Skyblue wrote:

I can and will get on board with this one.

Such clear instructions and recipe.

Can’t wait to add the gravy part.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:12 pm

tweety1 wrote:

Can you get a big piece of finger meat? I usually see it cut into little pieces.
So I should buy a chunk rather than pieces ?

Thank you for sharing.

amother

Tuberose

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:13 pm

Kishka!!
I used to sauté the onions and it added so much but recently I started using a recipe that says you should bake your Chulent in the oven. It’s a very easy recipe and surprisingly it comes out so good. I transfer it to the crockpot before shabbos.

amother

Chicory

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:14 pm

I like my cholent, but I dont make it too often
only when I have guests. If no guests it’s only 2 of us.
I make it in a crockpot with a crockpot liner bag.

This is what I use to season with
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bad.....D_BwE
Yes it has msg

1 pkg beef bones (what ever is cheapest)
1 pkg of fatty meat pieces (what ever is cheapest)
1 cup barley
1/2 cup beans
2 potatoes cut in big chunks
1 onion diced
1 garlic bulb cut top and take off as much of the peel as possible but keep whole
Sometimes I put in eggs on top

Then I fill a deli container with water and add my seasoning 2 pks badia sazon, salt to taste if you want more, pepper, garlic, paprika, a big glug of honey. Mix and taste- if you like add bbq sauce or ketchup.
Pour
And then fill the container again and pour enough water to be about an inch above of everything
Then I place 3-4 raw eggs on top

I plug it in raw and cold, straight from the fridge, right before candlelighting

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:14 pm

amother Tuberose wrote:

Surprisingly the oven method is super popular in real life.
Care to share your oven recipe ?
I’m all ears.

amother

Seashell

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:15 pm

Gravy from the bottom of the pan when you bake chicken is the best flavoring there is. Sauté the onions first like they told you. I also mince a lot of fresh garlic cloves and use garlic powder. It doesn’t come out to garlicky. Dh doesn’t like a sweet cholent so no honey at our house and just a tablespoon of ketchup. One family member likes mushrooms in the cholent, baby Bella cut in half or sliced portobellos. If you like to try different flavors you might like it but traditionalists will raise their eyebrows and might even refuse to taste it. Korean yams cut into chunks are another interesting add in that might get you rave reviews or complaints from picky eaters. A large whole Korean yam, peeled and placed on top of the cholent can be sliced like kishka for the gluten free crowd.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:16 pm

amother Chicory wrote:

I like my cholent, but I dont make it too often
Maybe 2x a year

This is what I use to season with
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bad.....D_BwE
Yes it has msg

Twice a year cholent would have me expelled as a mother of boys.

This seasoning looks promising.
I’m not scared of msg. Especially for 2x a year 😜

tweety1

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:19 pm

amother OP wrote:

Can you get a big piece of finger meat? I usually see it cut into little pieces.
So I should buy a chunk rather than pieces ?

Thank you for sharing.

Finger meat is exactly what it is. Finger.meat. It's a very fatty cut. It's cut into bigger pieces unlike stew- is smaller chunks. I used to cut the meat into stew size. I stopped.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:19 pm

amother Seashell wrote:

You’re the 2nd poster mentioning gravy yet I’ve never heard of this before.
Now I’ll need to make chicken first. But I’m ok with it. I’ll just get a head start with cooking.

I’ll probably skip the mushrooms since that will deem the cholent ruined. However the yams are a safe choice. I can just scoop it out and keep it for myself. Win win.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:20 pm

tweety1 wrote:

Finger meat is exactly what it is. Finger.meat. It's a very fatty cut. It's cut into bigger pieces unlike stew- is smaller chunks. I used to cut the meat into stew size. I stopped.

Got it.
Didn’t realize it’s literally finger. Meat.
Yes it is super fatty which I gather is what we want in a cholent.

amother

Hydrangea

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:29 pm

I love doing my chulent in the oven cuz of the easy cleanup and always get raving reviews!

I use some Chulent mix, white navy beans, and barley (or brown rice for a healthier version)
I try to soak my beans overnight if I can and then put it all into a deep 9x13 pan. I add an almost full 7oz plastic cup of oil, abt 3 cubes of frozen sautéed onions and spice it with generous amounts of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, a bit of chili flakes and occasionally a bit of onion soup mix. ( I will also sometimes add some bbq sauce or ketchup if I want a bit of sweetness but I like it better without.)
My family likes the flavor of naval pastrami in it but I have done it with any type of meat or even parve and it still tastes great.

Add water to cover generously and then cover the pan well.
I like to put the pan into a regular 9x13 in case it leaks.
I put it in the oven on 200 overnight (or all Thursday if my family wants it for Thursday night dinner). You can also put it on 450 for a shorter amount of time. Before shabbos I add water if it needs and keep it on 180 over shabbos.

I like to add my kishka to it once it is almost fully cooked or right before shabbos.

Jewishmom8

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:50 pm

I fry onion and some garlic cloves.
then add meat and beans.
add some sugar and a good sweet BBQ sauce.
I would satue that for like half an hour.
I then add water till about an inch above the meat.
I squirt some ketchup.
salt
and a cup of barley.
and then small cubed potatoes.
Let it cook all day in a pot.
We like Chulent in the pot.
Good luck!

amother

Dodgerblue

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 2:57 pm

amother OP wrote:

I don't add gravy, but I add a chicken wing. It really enhances the flavor.

Also, I don't do this regularly because it's really not so healthy, but a can of coke really makes the cholent taste amazing.

I don't sautee my onions first, but I slice them very, very thin so they cook more and get sweeter.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 3:41 pm

amother Hydrangea wrote:

Oh you bet I am trying this one.

You leave the pastrami is the bag?

Thank you for sharing

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 3:43 pm

Jewishmom8 wrote:

Bbq sauce is a new one for me.
I happen to think there’s something about a pot but I’m curious what people say on here.

Thank you