Everybody loves yapchik… but how do you make it? Here’s a yapchik recipe that walks you through it start to finish, whether you’re making it for right now or you plan to overnight it at a different time.

There are many different ways and methods of making yapchik. My website is over three years old, but I’ve never posted a yapchik recipe — not because I don’t make yapchik, but because I am never sure how to share the recipe and method in a clear, concise way without confusing people.

I will share with you the main way I’ve been doing it the last few years and also how to do some of the prep in advance so you’re not busy with the food processor on Erev Yom Tov!

Here’s the most basic yapchik-making method:

Prepare regular potato kugel batter (see recipe below, or you can read my potato kugel post here). Place a diced onion on the bottom of a deep 9×13 pan. Top with one-third of the kugel batter. Nestle the meat into the batter and pour the rest of the batter on top of that (you can also add crumbled kishke to really take it up a notch!).

Bake at 400°F uncovered for 1 hour.

Reduce oven temp to 200°F. Cover yapchik tightly and bake an additional 14-18 hours (it can also be longer).

If I want to prepare yapchik in advance so I don’t have to make it right before Yom Tov, I parbake it beforehand. Follow the same instructions as above, but after baking for one hour, remove from the oven, let cool, cover tightly and stick it in the freezer or fridge. If you freeze it, take it out several hours before you want to put it in the oven (or the night before), so it defrosts. Once the yapchik is defrosted, place it in the oven on 200°F and bake for 18-20 hours, as it gets waterlogged from being frozen and you want the water to cook out. (If you just refrigerated it, the extra time is not necessary).

For the meat, you can use any type. Because it cooks so low and slow, it doesn’t really matter what it is. I like using a chuck eye roast (the type with the net). Remove the next before you make it and cut it into chunks so the meat is even distributed throughout the kugel.

Classic Yapchik

The best meat and potatoes dish out there! Make it now or later — either way it will be delicious!

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 onions
5 lbs potatoes, peeled
4 eggs
1 cup oil
2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 3-lb (approx.) chuck eye roast, or any soft meat, cut into pieces
1 kishke, defrosted, crumbled (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a food processor fitted with the s-blade, blend one onion. Add the eggs, oil, and spices; blend just until eggs are mixed, making sure not to overdo it.
Switch to the kugel blade or small shredder blade and shred the potatoes.
Transfer to a bowl and mix the batter well, making sure everything is incorporated.
Dice the second onion. Spread on the bottom of a deep 9×13 pan or oven-to-table dish.
Pour about one-third of the kugel batter over the onion. Add the pieces of meat and crumbled kishke (if using). Top with remaining kugel batter. (No water is needed.)
Bake for 1 hour. At this point, if making it in advance, allow to cool and then refrigerate or freeze. If overnighting it immediately, proceed with the next step.
Reduce oven temp to 200°F. Cover yapchik tightly and bake for 14-20 hours.

Notes

If freezing the yapchik after the first parbake, remove from the freezer the night before you plan to make it (or at least several hours) and allow to fully defrost. Proceed as directed. Make sure to bake for as long as possible so any water from freezing cooks out.