Cholent Recipe
- 170g/6oz butter beans
- 280g/10oz barley
- 2 tbsp goose fat or sunflower oil
- 1.5kg/3lb 5oz beef brisket, or braising steak, cut into cubes
- 1.8kg/4lb potatoes, preferably King Edward or Maris Piper, peeled and left whole
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 280g/10oz flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 large onion, cut into small cubes
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- Soak the butter beans in cold water for 24 hours before they are needed. You can use canned beans but dried beans give a much better flavour.
- On the evening of cooking the dish, first make the dumpling. Put the flour and baking powder in a bowl and add the onion, oil and seasoning.
- Add enough water to make a soft dough, shape into a fat oval, then wrap in clingfilm and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas ½. Wash and drain the barley and drain the soaked butter beans.
- Grease a large heavy casserole dish or a heavy pot with the goose fat or sunflower oil (do not use olive oil) and place the beef in the middle of the dish.
- Position the dumpling, beans, barley and potatoes around the beef, then pour in boiling water to cover everything. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover with a tightly-fitting lid. Place on a low shelf in the oven and leave to cook overnight.
- In the morning, check there is enough liquid in the pot – thereâs usually enough to leave the dish cooking as it is, but if it looks dry, add a little water. The dish will be ready by lunchtime. If you want a darker colour, you could turn the oven heat up a couple of hours before you eat it.
