Jewish · Authentic-ish Jewish
Cholent
282 kcal a serving, against 575 for the traditional version. That is 293 kcal off, or 51%, with 31.2g of protein. Serves 8. 16 hours.
What the traditional version is
Purists will tell you: beef short ribs or brisket on the bone, thrown into a big pot with pearl barley, dried haricot beans, a couple of potatoes, plenty of onions, a few eggs in their shells (if you're feeling ambitious), and enough water to drown a sponge. It goes in low and slow overnight, sometimes up to 18 hours, so the beans vanish into the thick, beefy, sticky gravy and the meat collapses under its own weight. Always served with pickles and complaints about how full you are.
What changed, and what each change costs
Beef short ribs swapped for lean braising beef
Short ribs bring loads of flavour and even more fat, thanks to all that marbling and the bone. Switching over to lean beef shin or stewing steak drops most of the fat and keeps the beefiness. You'll still get tender meat after a long cook, but the spoon won't stand up in the gravy any more.
What it costs you. You lose the sticky, lip-coating richness that only comes from bone and fat. The sauce is thinner and no one will be scrabbling for the wobbly bits. If the original is a winter duvet, this is a single sheet.
Barley and beans both halved
The classic is heavy on both, so you finish a bowl and immediately need an hour horizontal. Halving them holds the texture but reins in the carb bomb. There's enough left to keep it recognisable, and you get more beef in each spoonful.
What it costs you. You'll miss the thick, porridge-like consistency, and the bowl's less likely to glue itself to your spoon. But at least you won't need a lie-down.
Potatoes cut by two thirds
Potato's there for ballast. Scaling right back gives you a stew, not a mash. You can eat more meat instead.
What it costs you. Anyone who expects a big golden chunk on their plate will have to fight for it. There might be grumbling.
Eggs dropped entirely
Slow-cooked eggs are lovely but don't do anything for the protein/carb balance. The beef covers the protein just fine.
What it costs you. Nobody will cry except the one uncle who liked the egg more than the cholent.
Oil dropped to 10g from 30g
With lean beef and less starch, you just need a bit of oil to start the onions. Save the rest for something exciting.
What it costs you. You lose the glossy mouthfeel. The beef wins, your arteries win, and if you want it richer, just pour some schmaltz on your own.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 575 | 282 |
| Protein | 42.2g | 31.2g |
| Fat | 25.8g | 7.2g |
| Saturated fat | 9.1g | 2.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 44.7g | 22.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7.3g | 11.1g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Jewish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, eggs, celery.
The method is in the book
There's no denying the trade here. The original is a sticky, self-basting marvel, glued together with fat and starch. This one is lighter, no question, and you actually get a decent chunk of beef in every bite. The third advantage is, you can go for seconds without planning a nap or an angioplasty. If you want the best version, go round to your mum's. If you want to eat cholent most weekends and survive Shabbat afternoon, call this a win.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Jewish, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.