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Photo credit Shannon Sarna

The Best Tzimmes Recipe

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This passed-down family recipe produces a rich and flavorful sweet stew for Rosh Hashanah, Passover or anytime you need a taste of Jewish comfort.

  • Total Time: 5 hours + chilling overnight
  • Yield: 10-12 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 4 lb sweet potatoes
  • 2 lb Russet potatoes
  • 1 lb pitted prunes
  • 1 lb baby carrots, or whole carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 lb flanken
  • ¾ cup brown sugar, divided
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice, divided
  • water, to cover

Instructions

  1. Place 1-2 pieces of flanken on the bottom of a casserole dish. Scatter half of the sweet potatoes, white potatoes, prunes and carrots over the meat.
  2. Sprinkle half the brown sugar and lemon juice over this layer. Place the remaining flanken on top and cover with all remaining ingredients.
  3. Fill the casserole dish with water until the ingredients are barely covered. Bring to a boil on top of the stove and then reduce heat to a simmer.
  4. Cover casserole. Simmer ingredients for 90 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
  5. Carefully, remove meat, potatoes, carrots and prunes from the gravy. Arrange them in an oven-to-table serving dish. Pour gravy in another container. Place both in fridge overnight.
  6. The next day, preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the dish with the meat and vegetables, and the container of gravy from fridge. With a slotted spoon, remove the thick layer of fat that will have formed over night. Taste gravy. Add more brown sugar and/or lemon juice depending on your taste. Pour gravy over meat and vegetables.
  7. Place the dish in oven and bake for 2-3 hours uncovered. Baste constantly until gravy has thickened and glazed the tzimmes. If the top layer begins to brown too much, cover the dish lightly with foil and continue to cook. Serve hot. 

Notes

This dish can be cooked, cooled completely and frozen.

  • Author: Shannon Sarna
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4.5 hours + chilling overnight
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stew
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi