Cholent (tshulnt)
================= 2021-11-05
Inspired by: Cholent
Comment: for a complete commentary on this traditional Jewish recipe, see: Shabbat Cholent Recipe
There are as many cholent recipes as there are cooks, so this one, inspired by the link above, is mine and has no pretensions of originality. All ingredients are easy to find, except for the kishke which are optional anyway.
kishke: to be found in a kosher store or butcher shop or to be made by yourself depending on the case. A type of sausage that contains matza meal, fat or schmalz, vegetables and spices:
What Is Kishke?
How To Make Kishke
Recipe: Michael Ruhlman's Kishke
If your kishka is cooked, cut it into slices (~10 to 15 mm) and add a few slices (in this case 6) on top of the pot. If it is not cooked, cook it (in the oven) first before peeling and cutting it.
Normally, the broth is already a bit salty, but in any case add salt: a heaping teaspoon and make sure it is concentrated enough as it has to give taste to all the other ingredients.
I don't like crockpots (slow cooker) because you can't control the cooking temperature and the result is unpredictable. However, last time I had no choice but to use a 3 l crockpot on the low setting (you can't do less) for ~20 hours. Result: clearly overcooked, so avoid the crockpot at all costs!
Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients:
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1 kg beef for stew (fat removed) or brisket or roast cut into large cubes.
100 g white beans soaked for 8 to 12 hours and drained and washed well with clear water
100 g red beans soaked for 8 to 12 hours and drained and washed well with clear water
2 small or 1 large onion, coarsely chopped (~200 g)
4 to 5 cloves of garlic, whole peeled
80 g pearl barley, rinsed
500 g potatoes that will hold up to cooking
1 to 2 marrow bones, soaked in cold water for 4 to 6 hours and rinsed. No more than 2 if they are to fit in the dish.
6 whole eggs, well washed (opt)
A few slices of kishke (4 to 6) (opt)
1 heaping tablespoon of good paprika (Hungarian)
1 heaped tablespoon of smoked paprika
1 heaped tablespoon of turmeric
1 heaped teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 to 3 bay leaves
salt
pepper
600 to 800 ml of strong beef stock (doubly concentrated).
Preparation:
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Brown the meat on all sides in a little EVOO. Set aside.
Place all ingredients in a large pot (3+ l):
- potatoes, peeled and chopped if large.
- chopped onions and garlic cloves
- meat and marrow bones
- beans and pearl barley
- place the eggs between the pieces of meat in the beans
- place the bay leaves last and the kishke if necessary
Mix the broth with the spices, pepper and salt and pour it on top. Top up with water if necessary.
If the beans/pearl barley are not completely covered, they will sink in the pot after 1 or 2 hours. So no worries.
However, do not overfill the pot because it seems that the level increases during cooking: little evaporation, we do not want it to overflow.
Cover and put in the oven at 95C (without fan heat) for 16 h or 18 h at 85C.
Do not stir, check from time to time that there is still enough liquid, if necessary add water.
Serve:
Remove the eggs from the pot 20 minutes before serving so that you can peel them without burning yourself just before serving.
If the marrow bones are not completely emptied, empty them and mix the marrow with the sauce.
Serve without forgetting that the potatoes and the meat are at the bottom of the stewpot.