For a long time I believed that the essential divide among Jews was not between the religious and the secular, nor between the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi, not even between the Democratic and the Republican. I shouldn't have been surprised that the biggest schism in world Jewry was related to food: It was between those who love cholent and those who would never touch the stuff.
For the uninitiated, cholent is a stew of meat, potatoes, beans, and often, kishka (beef soaked in matzo meal and fat), cooked in a slow-cooker and eaten on Shabbat. It sure is filling, but can be a cholesterol nightmare, too, depending on the ratio of meat to fat in the kishka. In addition, according to my local zookeeper, cholent is even a more powerful sleeping agent than bear tranquilizers.
According to my local zookeeper, cholent is even a more powerful sleeping agent than bear tranquilizers.
As a card-carrying member of the anti-cholent brigade, I smugly assumed that my home would always remain a cholent-free environment. After all, I had read about the dangers of second-hand cholent, such as family members and guests falling asleep at the table before the dessert was even served. As long as I wielded the power of the pots, the pans and the mixing spoons around here, I thought I was safe. If anyone in the family wanted to eat that heavy, dark, artery-clogging stew, they could help themselves at the synagogue sponsored Kiddush.
But my children had other ideas.
"Why don't you ever make cholent?" they asked when they outgrew that stage when all they would eat was spaghetti and hot dogs. The request came as a bit of a shock. What was wrong with my normal Shabbat fare of healthy salads and soups, themed variations on chicken, lentils and rice?
The barrage continued: Mrs. Weinberg and Mrs. Firestone made great cholent. Why didn't I get their recipes? I searched in vain for a further defense, but couldn't find one. Maybe I had had a traumatic childhood experience with cholent, but as Dr. Phil would say, time to move on.
Besides, I had to think about our family's reputation. I didn't want my kids to have to accidentally overhear the whispers: "Oh, the Gruens. Their Mom doesn't make cholent, you know. It's so sad," they'd say, shaking their heads with pity.
No, I could not have this on my conscience.
Additionally, it suddenly seemed that everywhere we were invited for Shabbat, the hosts were sure to bring a steaming, heaping bowl of cholent to the table. As my kids took generous helpings, my sense of guilt grew heavier than the stew. Why, I began to feel that I was a rebellious daughter of Israel, flagrantly violating the 614th commandment: "Thou Shalt Make Cholent!"
I began to feel that I was a rebellious daughter of Israel, flagrantly violating the 614th commandment: "Thou Shalt Make Cholent!"
Finally, I was given an ultimatum by my son Noach, whose culinary tastes are strictly Eastern European: If I wouldn't make cholent, then he would! Now this is a kid whose most advanced "cooking" was melting cheese on a bagel in the microwave. Clearly, the cholent issue had reached a boiling point. I relented, reached for a cookbook, and made my maiden batch. The recipe was so easy; how bad could it be?
When I saw the kids pouring mounds of salt, ketchup and various other seasonings in their bowls, I had my answer. Now my ego was at stake, and I vowed to do better. The next week, I found another recipe, and received rave reviews. "Not bad, Mom," one mumbled. (Bear in mind, coming from a teenager, this is wild enthusiasm.)
I sat up a little higher, buoyed by my first cholent success. Now my kids could hold their heads high among their peers. We could invite the best of the Jewish world over for a meal, and we would not be shamed by a failure to deliver cholent. But after lunch, Noach made a confession: He had secretly added various ingredients to the pot.
"What did you add?" I asked, eager to see what I could learn.
"More garlic, some barbeque sauce, a chicken leg, and some other things you probably don't want to know about," he answered cryptically.
My resistance finally broken, my children proved victorious, and cholent became a staple of our Shabbat meals. As for me, I am slowly recovering from my irrational feelings toward cholent. As part of my therapy, I take small spoonfuls of it each week. I only wonder: if this stuff is so great, how come nobody will eat the leftovers on Sunday?
(15) Yael, January 30, 2013 7:10 PM
Tried all kinds of lowfat and veggie cholents. Agree about the leftovers should be fed to islamic terrorists ! . I am not fond of cholent and stick to warming soups. The one concession is kind of baked beans which will keep well till Sunday.
(14) Anonymous, October 25, 2010 9:00 PM
To Sharon #1... try Aviglatt.com in Brooklyn. They ship all over the U.S. and are great people. If they don't have it they may be able to help you find it. Order $150.00 and it is free shipping. It is really easy to spend that much on kosher products. They are on the net and on that website is their phone number. Hope this helps.
(13) Anonymous, October 25, 2010 8:57 PM
When I make cholent, I use very lean cubed beef, beans (usually two kinds) sometimes hominy (yes, I know that is not traditional but it tastes good) and the herbs can be rosemary OR oregano with garlic and onions. I cook carrot and a potato or two separately. They do not freeze well. I don't know how to make cholent for one! Sometimes I want a Dafina. It all comes down to what someone likes in the spices and herbs. If cholent is made with hardly any fat at all, I have that down. I took a break from cholents for every Shabbat and I felt that some great part of Shabbos was missing. I am going to warm up a bowl of cholent and add a carrot and potato. See You.
(12) dovidk, May 9, 2007 2:19 PM
anti-chulent
I think leftover chulent should be fed to islamic terrorists. Punishment fits the crime.
(11) Eleanor, April 15, 2007 11:57 AM
How does one get rid of the leftovers?
This article is so true. And what do you did with the leftovers? I have tried several ways. HELP!
(10) Lorraine, April 13, 2007 3:06 PM
My late father grew up in N.Y. with cholent but I had never heard of it or how it was made. I found this article very interesting as I am now a senior.
Regards
(9) Joe, April 12, 2007 9:48 AM
My Western European "cholent" recipe
Personally, as a pure Ashkenaz, I loved the idea of cholent, but all of the beans and the traditional spice mix were not something I loved every Shabbos, and you are correct, it doesn't keep well. So I tried something different. I took a page from French cooking.
Need:
8 medium potatos -chopped large
2 large onions - chopped small
8 shallots - minced
2 lbs. stew meat
1/4 cup barley (optional)
1-2 packages marrow bones
40 or so mushrooms (bottom of stem cut off and washed)
2 cups beef stock or 2-4 boulion cubes
1 bottle red wine (burgundy, cabernet)
Lots of fresh tarragon
thyme
rosemary
basil
olive oil
Either use an oven - preheated to 200 degrees or a crockpot.
On the stove top,
Brown the barley (if you choose to use it) in the bottom of your large cholent pot with a little olive oil. Add all ingredients. I generally put the mushrooms in whole, they shrink quite a lot in the coures of cooking and make for a yummy bite. If you can get cimini - or baby bellas it's better but white mushrooms are quite nice too. The main spice flavor comes from the tarragon, which has a lovely aroma and is the pimary spice in Bearnaise sauce (the other main flavor comes from shallots). So, if you can get fresh taragon, add as many of the leaves as you feel like plucking - in practice, I get packages where the stalks are about 10cm long and I use about 12-16 stalks. I get the same type of packages for the thyme and rosemary 2-3 stalks rosemary, 2-3 stalks thyme. I also add about 12 basil leaves. If dry spices, say 1tbsp (heaping) tarragon, 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.
Bring mixture to boil before setting to slow cook overnight. If you do not have beef stock and are using boullion, add about two cups of water.
This has a lovely, gentle aroma and for those who like a more Western European flavor, it comes out with a rich and refined taste.
As for Sunday, the leftovers go fabulosly on egg noodles.
I hope you like this. It is fiancee approved!
(8) Anonymous, April 11, 2007 9:07 PM
aaaah cholent
In my house, as soon as they outgrow baby food, it's cholent, kugel, & gefilte fish. As they reach adolescence, whoever is away for Shabbos gets greeted when they come home with, "Did you miss a cholent!" Beef bones or flanken ends are better than other cuts, cayenne pepper is a great condiment, lots of barley...just remember, no 2 homes serve the same cholent and rarely does cholent come out the same if you play with the ingredients. By the way, kishke, also known as stuffed derma, was cow's intestines stuffed with a flour mixture. Now they use plastic or when I make my own healthy version (shredded carrots held together with flour, oil and spices) I wrap it in foil or parchment paper.
Cholent is Jewish soul food, no doubt about it.
(7) Marni Rosen, April 11, 2007 3:09 PM
Kishka recipe
For the lady who can't buy kishka in her community, here is an easy and healthier version you could make yourself.
MOCK KISHKA - PAREVE
1 (8 oz.) box of Tam Tams crackers
1 large onion
2 large carrots
3 stalks of celery
Slightly less than one stick of pareve margarine
Salt & pepper to taste
Crushed corn flake crumbs (optional)
Grind celery, carrots, onions in processor. Grind crackers in processor separately. Add melted margarine to processed crackers. Add the first 4 ingredients to that and mix it all together. It may be a little stiff but if not, add some corn flake crumbs. Separate mixture into 2 pieces, using tinfoil or baking paper for each separate piece. Form a roll about 10 inches long and 2 or 3 inches thick. Wrap each strip separately and bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. May be frozen before baking or after baking. Place still wrapped in foil or baking paper into cholent pot and let kishka cook with the cholent. Enjoy!
(6) Chana Levi, April 11, 2007 2:06 PM
Cholent
I really could relate to this article. In our family, my husband loves cholent and would eat it every Shabbas - if our kids (now grown) will let him. Sometimes I like it but not every week. So years ago I compromised and made cholent in the winter but not between Shavuos and Rosh Hashana.
I said to my husband I bet in the shtetl even they didn't eat cholent all summer. Then we invited my father z'l for Shabbas lunch and asked him if he remembered if they ate cholent in the summer in the Lithuanian village where he grew up. He said, "Of course. We always ate cholent every Shabbas all year long."
So now we have cholent all year long too (unless the kids are home and do the cooking) but we provide cold cuts and salads as well. But I never put beans or barley in my cholent (just meat, potatoes, onions, carrots and spices) with a can of tomato sauce for extra flavor. My husband also likes an egg cooked in the cholent. In 1998 the first National Cholent Competition was held in Jerusalem with 131 entries, all different. The prize for the best Jerusalem cholent went to Esther Israel for a Tripolitanian spinach cholent that included stuffed vegetables, chicken, beef, semolina dumplings, onion, garlic and a mélange of herbs and spices. The various entries included every imaginable ingredient which proves cholent can be a very versatile, gourmet dish. Even its name is said to be of French origin - 'chaud lent' means 'hot, slow.'
(5) Geoff, April 11, 2007 5:39 AM
finally a fellow member of the anti-cholent brigade.
For years I couldnt touch the stuff eliciting social exclusion and people even questioning my yiddishkeit !!!
(4) Dr. Michael Zidonov, April 11, 2007 5:07 AM
Cholent Fan(s)
Judy,
... Leftovers??? You have Leftovers???
... Perk the flavor up a little bit and throw in some crushed Red Pepper ....... Leftovers you won't have ...
Bohker Tov,
Doc Z
(3) Anonymous, April 11, 2007 4:29 AM
I read your rather profound article on chulent with relish, how ever( &
I am by no means the greatest chulent
lover on earth,-- I prefer the soupy
variety) perhaps with a little therapy and a slightly improved reciepe your chulent will improve to such an extent that it will be so good,there will not be any left overs.
(my kids - kernein- er- horra get that chulent pot so empty, that we dont have to wash it . it's wiped/licked clean. we can put it away just like that !!)
(2) Anonymous, April 11, 2007 12:40 AM
trust me, I understand!!!!!!!!!!
Yup, no doubt about it! Cholent is either loved or hated. Look, I make a beef stew kind of cholent..it's an off shoot of a cholent recipe that everyone-and I mean everyone loved in my former community. I could do without it......
(1) Sharon, April 10, 2007 9:02 PM
A Recipe for Cholent
Do you have any recipes for cholent?
I will have to check with a Rabbi too if anyone can get some kishka brought here since I don't know if it is sold anywhere here in Iowa and how much it would be for shipping. Since we don't have this delicacy, we don't know what we are missing. Just enjoy it once a week and don't eat too much. You will be alright. Life is too short to worry about one meal a week enjoying something rich and special.