Name: Overnight Cholent (Jewish Deli One-Pot Stew)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 600 min
Total time: 640 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Jewish deli
Ingredients: 2 lb beef chuck; 1 cup dried navy or cannellini beans; 1 cup pearl barley; 1.5 lb potatoes; 2 medium onions; 3 clove garlic; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 cup low-sodium beef broth; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 piece bay leaf; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 piece kishke (stuffed gut) or 8 oz smoked sausage; 4 piece large eggs

Method

Place the dried beans in a bowl and cover with cold water by 3 inches; refrigerate and soak overnight (or at least 8 hours).
Preheat the oven to 225°F (110°C) if using an oven; alternatively you can use a slow cooker on LOW.
Pat the beef cubes dry and season lightly with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the black pepper.
Heat the oil in a 5–7 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Working in 2 batches so you don't crowd the pan, sear the beef cubes until a deep brown crust forms on all sides; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium and add the chopped onions to the Dutch oven; sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic and tomato paste to the onions and cook, stirring, about 1 minute to bloom the tomato paste.
Pour in 1 cup of the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglaze).
Layer the ingredients in the Dutch oven: spread the potatoes in an even layer on the bottom, then add the rinsed barley, drained soaked beans, and the seared beef on top.
Nestle the sautéed onions and deglazing liquid on top of the beef, sprinkle the paprika, cumin, remaining salt and pepper, bay leaf and brown sugar, then pour the remaining beef broth over everything so ingredients are mostly submerged (liquid should come up to about 1 inch below the rim).
If using optional kishke or raw-in-shell eggs, tuck them into the mixture now so they cook through with the stew.
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover with a tight-fitting lid.
Transfer the covered Dutch oven to the preheated oven and slow-cook at 225°F (110°C) for 10 hours, or transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 10 hours. (This long, low cook is what makes cholent — if you prefer a shorter time, increase oven to 275°F and cook 6–8 hours.)
When the cook time is up, remove the pot from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid, discard the bay leaf, stir gently to mix the layers (beef should shred easily), taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed, then serve hot in bowls.

Worth knowing

If you don't have a Dutch oven, use a slow cooker: transfer the seared beef, sautéed onions, and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 10–12 hours.
Barley contains gluten; for a gluten-free version use hulled oats or a gluten-free grain but the texture and flavor will differ.
Cholent improves the next day — refrigerate leftovers and reheat gently on the stovetop or in a low oven. The stew will thicken as it cools; add a splash of broth when reheating if needed.
For a smokier flavor, use one smoked sausage or a piece of smoked brisket as an optional add-in; tuck it in at the start so it imparts flavor during the long cook.
Adjust salt at the end; long cooking concentrates flavors and initial salt measurements can finish too strong if doubled up.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Overnight Cholent (Jewish Deli One-Pot Stew)

Ingredients

For the cholent

Optional add-ins

Method

Worth knowing

Make it yours

More Jewish deli cooking