Jewish Cholent

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the Beans

   • Place the dried kidney and pinto beans in a large bowl. Cover with at least 3 inches of cold water.
   • Let the beans soak for a minimum of 8 hours, or preferably overnight.
   • After soaking, drain the beans completely and rinse them thoroughly under cold water.
2. 2

   Sear Beef and Sauté Aromatics

   • Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Season them generously with 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper.
   • Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
   • Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the beef on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared beef to a plate and set aside.
   • Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onions to the same skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened and deeply golden.
   • Add the minced garlic and cook for another 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. 3

   Layer the Cholent

   • In a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, spread the drained and rinsed beans in an even layer on the bottom.
   • Sprinkle the rinsed pearl barley over the beans.
   • Arrange the potato chunks in a single layer over the barley.
   • Place the seared beef cubes on top of the potatoes. If using, add the beef marrow bone to the center of the pot.
   • Spoon the sautéed onions and garlic evenly over the beef.
4. 4

   Add Liquid and Seasonings

   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, brown sugar, the remaining 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper until well combined.
   • Pour this liquid mixture evenly over the layered ingredients in the slow cooker. The liquid should come up to almost cover the contents.
   • If using kishke, place it on top of all the other ingredients.
5. 5

   Slow Cook

   • Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Set it to the LOW setting.
   • Cook for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking, as this releases heat and moisture.
   • The cholent is ready when the stew is thick, the beans are creamy, and the meat and potatoes are fall-apart tender.
6. 6

   Serve

   • Before serving, gently stir the cholent to combine the layers. If you used a marrow bone, you can scoop out the rich marrow and stir it into the stew.
   • Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
   • Ladle the hot cholent into bowls and serve immediately.