Grandma's Cholent
A Jewish tradition of slow-cooked beef and a variety of beans
by Molly O'Neill
This recipe, adapted from Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family (Workman, 2007) by Judy Bart Kancigor, can be cooked overnight in a very slow oven or made up to four days ahead and reheated slowly on top of the stove. It can warm a winter day with only its smell. Its flavor, on the other hand, warms the soul.
3/4 cup dried baby lima beans, rinsed and picked over
3/4 cup dried kidney beans, rinsed and picked over
3/4 cup dried yellow split peas, rinsed and picked over
3/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
4 pounds beef flanken or brisket, or a combination
2 large onions, chopped
3 medium-size (about 1 pound) russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon kosher (coarse) salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon good-quality paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
2 cups dry red wine
1. Combine the lima beans and kidney beans in a large bowl, and add water to cover (about 4 quarts). Set aside to soak overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drain and rinse the beans.
3. Combine the beans, split peas, lentils, meat, and all the remaining ingredients in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy, ovenproof pot. Add water to cover. Bake, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F and continue cooking, covered, for 10 to 24 hours. (The longer it cooks, the thicker the mixture will be.) An hour or two before serving, check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. If you like a thicker cholent, uncover the pot and finish cooking. If it is too thick, add some water, re-cover the pot, and continue cooking.
5. Spoon the cholent onto plates, and serve.
Yield: Serves an army.
