Many American Jews with Ashkenazi roots would see this as the “standard” cholent recipe. I see this recipe as more of a base than a complete recipe (though I have had it many times with nothing else added, and it works perfectly well). This recipe has plenty of space for your own variations. I’ve included some suggestions for making this your own in the options.
This is the recipe that I grew up with. My mother didn’t enjoy eating cholent but would still cook it for the rest of the family. Its roots are in Galicia, a region that spanned southern Poland, southwestern Ukraine, and at times was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. My mom insisted on placing the ingredients in her slow cooker in the order below, claiming that the meat flavor would best permeate the barley that way. But frankly, I don’t think it matters!
- Place the barley and beans on the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Layer the onions and potato chunks on top of the barley and beans.
- Put the beef on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Add enough water to cover everything by about a half an inch.
- Heat on high for 1-2 hours, then switch to low for the rest of the night.
- Many people use barbecue sauce or ketchup to add flavor.
- Beer can be used to replace all or part of the water.
- In the past, I have replaced the barley with buckwheat for a slightly lighter, sweeter, smoky, and gluten-free option.
- For added sweetness, add a peeled, cubed turnip and/or 1-2 chopped carrots.
- A handful of mushrooms can make an earthier stew.
- All-beef hotdogs in addition to, or in place of the meat, add a nice smoky taste.
- Other possible flavors include: garlic, black pepper, paprika, sugar, honey, or prunes.
