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A pot of beef stew with onions, parsley, cinnamon, star anise, and spices. A brown liquid is being poured over the ingredients.

Chulent (Traditional Jewish Stew)

Chulent is a traditional Jewish stew, slow-cooked overnight and eaten on Shabbat lunch. It originated as a way to keep food warm without violating Sabbath cooking restrictions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Ashkenazi Jewish
Servings 6
Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs 900g beef (brisket, flanken, or chuck), cut into chunks
  • 2 cups dried beans kidney beans, navy beans, or a mix
  • 1 cup barley
  • 4 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups beef broth or water
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar optional, for slight sweetness
  • 2-3 beef marrow bones optional, for richness
  • 4 eggs optional, whole, with shell on
  • 1 kishke stuffed derma, optional

Instructions
 

  • Step 1: Sauté the Onions and Meat
    A pot of water boiling with eggs, surrounded by garlic, onions, olive oil, and garlic cloves on a gas stove.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a large oven-safe pot or slow cooker.
  • Add diced onions and cook until soft and golden.
    Chopped onions are sautéed in a frying pan with oil, surrounded by whole onions and spices on a dark surface.
  • Add beef chunks and brown on all sides for flavor.
  • Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.
    A cast iron pan with beef chunks and halved onions on a wooden board, surrounded by spices, garlic, and a bottle of oil.
  • Step 2: Assemble the Chulent
  • Add potatoes, beans, barley, and optional marrow bones to the pot.
    A pot with beef chunks, chopped onions, garlic cloves, and a wooden spoon. Seasonings and bread crumbs are scattered around on a wooden board.
  • Season with paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and honey (if using).
    A pot filled with raw ingredients including beef chunks, potatoes, pinto beans, lentils, and grains on a wooden table surrounded by loose potatoes and bowls of grains.
  • Pour in enough beef broth or water to cover everything by at least an inch.
    A pot of beef stew with onions, parsley, cinnamon, star anise, and spices. A brown liquid is being poured over the ingredients.
  • If using, nestle whole eggs (uncracked) and kishke into the stew.
    A hand placing a tied, raw meat bundle into a large black pot surrounded by several whole brown eggs in broth. Fresh parsley nearby on a gray surface.
  • Step 3: Slow Cook the Chulent
    Ornate clay pot with patterned design on stovetop, filled with steaming vegetable stew including carrots and potatoes. Background includes peppers, garlic, spices, and wooden utensils.
  • Slow Cooker Method: Set to low and cook for 12-16 hours.
  • Oven Method: Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C), cover, and bake overnight (at least 12 hours).
  • Step 4: Serve
  • Carefully remove the eggs and peel before serving.
  • Stir the chulent gently and serve hot, ensuring each bowl gets meat, beans, potatoes, and barley.
    A bowl of hearty stew with beef, potatoes, carrots, white beans, and a halved boiled egg, garnished with parsley. Surrounded by coriander seeds, garlic, an egg, and spices on a gray surface.

Notes

Spicier Version: Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or a few dried chilies.
Vegetarian Chulent: Replace beef with extra beans and use vegetable broth.
Extra Richness: Use duck fat or schmaltz instead of vegetable oil
Keyword casserole, cholent