Help me slay my crockpot cholent

amother

Lemonchiffon

Thu, Mar 14 2024, 10:40 pm

amother OP wrote:

I’ve failed cholent so many times and having guest this week.
Can you help?

I have an 8 qt Crockpot brand crockpot. I like to put up cholent Thursday night for good flavor plus it’s ready Friday afternoon.

Sometimes the cholent works out but most times the food burns or I have to add water a few times, which makes me feel like it’s losing all taste.

What settings should I use to do this properly?

It tastes better putting it up on Friday morning.
The kuntz is the barley water ratio and the salt ratio.
How much of everything are you using? I'll give you water and salt amounts.

amother

IndianRed

Thu, Mar 14 2024, 10:47 pm

amother Watermelon wrote:

Not sure if you realize but this may be assur

Nope
Not at all
It either needs to be cooked or completely raw.
Ask you LOR

amother

Moccasin

Thu, Mar 14 2024, 11:23 pm

amother Honeydew wrote:

It’s too early Thursday night. Put it up right before candle lighting on low

This all the way. It comes out amazing. Shocked anyone puts it up on thursday and it survives. When I put it up right before shabbos it's already a goner by motzei

amother

Mistyrose

Thu, Mar 14 2024, 11:26 pm

amother Peru wrote:

I make it Thursday evening all the time. I put it on high for a few hours. Switch to low before I go to sleep...there should be water covering but not tons extra...and Fri morning I switch it to keep warm. If there is still a lot of water I keep it on low and switch to keep warm later on. And I think putting it up Thurs night definitely enhances the flavor.

I don't think that's a very safe from a food safety perspective. That's a long time on warm.

Dolly Welsh

Thu, Mar 14 2024, 11:45 pm

Never, ever put plain pure water into food. Put something into the water. Ketchup is one idea. Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce is another. You can put a bit of both. Balsamic vinegar also, but not much of that. Osem powder, any kind. Stir with a fork in a glass, and in it goes.

If you are adding new water to an already cooking crock pot, boil that water to sterilize it. Microwaving it is the easiest way.

All this is before Shabbos obviously.

You are not putting enough water in.

The water should be two inches from the top, or the length of your pinky finger, right as you start the crock pot.

Barley takes a LOT of water, it expands a lot in cooking. It's a great food, sure, but give it enough water.

As people are saying, you should be starting the pot early Friday, no earlier. I start mine around 2 pm and we eat at 7 or so. Give the pot five hours from its start.

groisamomma

Thu, Mar 14 2024, 11:51 pm

Dolly Welsh wrote:

You start your cholent at 2 pm on Friday and it’s ready to eat by 7 pm Friday night?

amother

Fri, Mar 15 2024, 12:16 am

Dolly Welsh wrote:

Why not put plain water? Is it a food poisoning thing or a flavor thing

amother

Fri, Mar 15 2024, 12:19 am

amother NeonGreen wrote:

What’s this new word “slay”?

It’s not very new but it’s means doing something very well. I also meant in context of ‘slay the dragon’ with cholent = dragon.

Dolly Welsh

Fri, Mar 15 2024, 11:01 am

amother OP wrote:

Why not put plain water? Is it a food poisoning thing or a flavor thing

Flavor thing.

If you are limiting salt or sodium, that is another matter altogether.

If you are bringing the food to a boil, it's safe with no flavoring in the water. But you will have boring food that way, adding plain water.

Unless you like a mild taste. I like a strong taste.

By the way, always cold water, not from the hot water faucet, because your sink's hot water was sitting in the hot water tank.

It won't kill you, but that's not so clean. That's not for internal consumption. It is for washing.

amother

Peru

Fri, Mar 15 2024, 11:03 am

amother Mistyrose wrote:

I don't think that's a very safe from a food safety perspective. That's a long time on warm.

Been doing it for 15 years and never had an issue

amother

Lily

Fri, Mar 15 2024, 11:04 am

I used to make my cholent on Thursday nights, on low the whole time. Just add more water if it gets dryer. It won't taste watery because it continues to reduce and cook down.

The only reason I switched is bc of my schedule. Now I make it Friday morning, but I think it tastes better the night before.

amother

Ecru

Fri, Mar 15 2024, 1:45 pm

amother Peru wrote:

Been doing it for 15 years and never had an issue

I’d say it really depends on the crockpot. Some crockpots are not food safe on that setting for more than a couple of hours.