Cholent (Beef, Bean, Barley and Potato Stew) is a traditional Jewish recipe for a classic slow-cooked stew of beef, butter beans, barley and potatoes with flour dumplings that's often served for lunch on the Sabbath. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Jewish version of: Beef, Bean, Barley and Potato Stew (Cholent).
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Cholent is a classic Jewish recipe. It's a savory, slow-cooked Shabbat stew made with meat, potatoes, beans, and barley. Cholent is traditionally cooked overnight on a Friday and eaten for lunch on the Sabbath.
Ingredients
For the cholent:
170g dried butter beans
280g pearl barley
2 tbsp goose fat or sunflower oil
1.5kg beef brisket, or braising steak, cubed
1.8kg potatoes, preferably King Edward or Maris Piper, peeled and left whole
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
For the dumplings:
280g flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 large onion, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Method:
Soak the butter beans in cold water for 24 hours before they are needed. You can use tinned beans but dried beans give a much better flavour.
On the evening of cooking the dish, begin by preparing the dumpling. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl, then add the onion, oil and seasoning.
Add enough water to form a soft dough. Knead lightly then shape into a fat oval, before wrapping in clingfilm and chilling in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 120C (Gas mark ½). Wash and drain the barley and drain the soaked butter beans.
Grease a large heavy casserole dish or a heavy pan with the goose fat or sunflower oil (do not use olive oil) and place the beef in the middle of the dish.
Position the dumpling, beans, barley and potatoes around the beef, then pour in boiling water to cover everything. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover with a tightly-fitting lid (or, even better, cover with a layer of foil then sit the lid on top). Place on a low shelf in the oven and leave to cook overnight.
In the morning, check there is enough liquid in the pot — there’s usually enough to leave the dish cooking as it is, but if it looks dry, add a little water. The dish will be ready by lunchtime.
If you want a darker colour, you could turn the oven heat up a couple of hours before you're ready to eat it.
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