Borscht Recipe with Meat

Method7 steps · about 2 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: For boneless beef (1 lb), cut the 1 lb into about 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; for bone-in beef, leave the piece whole for this first simmer. Put the selected beef in a large soup pot with all 14 cups cold water and 1 tablespoon broth salt. Bring to a boil and promptly skim off the foam. Reduce the heat, partly cover and gently simmer for 45–60 minutes, skimming occasionally, until the meat is nearly tender. If using bone-in beef, lift it out after this simmer, discard the bone and return the meat in 1-inch pieces to its broth. Prepare the vegetable pans while the beef simmers.

   Initial beef simmer · 60 minUses 1 lb beef, sirloin or stew meat; boneless or bone-in · 14 cups cold water · 1 tablespoon salt for the initial broth

2. 2

   Step 2: Wash, peel and coarsely grate the 2 large beets. Heat all 4 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet and add the beets and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Sauté for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in 1 tablespoon sugar and the selected 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, and sauté for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beets start to soften. Transfer the sautéed beets to a bowl and keep the skillet for step 3.

   Beets BEFORE sugar and tomato · 5 minUses 2 large beets, washed, peeled and grated · 4 Tbsp olive oil · 1 Tbsp vinegar · 1 Tbsp sugar · 2 tablespoons plain tomato sauce

3. 3

   Step 3: Finely dice the 1 medium onion and grate the 2 carrots. In the used skillet, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and sauté all the onion for 2 minutes. Add the grated carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes or until softened. If the pan becomes dry, add a little of the separate extra olive oil as needed. Reserve this onion-carrot mixture in a separate bowl from the sautéed beets.

   Onion BEFORE carrot · 2 minUses Used skillet after reserving the beets; residual oil amount unspecified · 1 Tbsp unsalted butter · 1 medium onion (finely diced) · 2 carrots (grated) · Extra olive oil if the onion-carrot pan becomes dry, as needed

4. 4

   Step 4: After the beef has simmered for at least 45 minutes and is nearly tender, peel and cut the 2 large potatoes into bite-size pieces. Add them to the prepared beef and broth and simmer for 10 minutes.

   Initial potato simmer · 10 minUses Simmered beef and broth · 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

5. 5

   Step 5: Thinly slice the ½ head small cabbage. Peel and dice the 2 tomatoes. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, all the reserved sautéed beets and all the onion-carrot mixture to the beef-and-potato soup. Simmer for about 10 more minutes, then continue as needed until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, the other vegetables are cooked and the beef is tender.

   Combined vegetable simmer · 10 minUses Beef, broth and potatoes after their initial simmer · ½ head small cabbage, thinly sliced · 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced · Reserved sautéed beets with oil, vinegar, sugar and tomato sauce · Sautéed onion and carrot

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the 2 bay leaves and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper to the fully cooked soup. Taste and add separate additional salt only as needed; the initial 1 tablespoon salt is already in the broth.

   Uses Cooked beef and vegetable borscht · 2 bay leaves · 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper · Additional salt to taste after cooking the soup

7. 7

   Step 7: Stir the ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley and the 2 pressed garlic cloves into the seasoned soup. Cover immediately, remove from the heat and rest covered for 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve hot in about 8–10 portions with optional fresh parsley OR dill sprigs and a dollop of the separate serving sour cream if desired.

   Covered soup rest · 20 minUses Fully cooked seasoned borscht · ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley for the soup · 2 cloves garlic (pressed) · Fresh parsley sprigs for serving, optional, as desired · Fresh dill sprigs for serving, optional, as desired · Sour cream for serving, optional, as desired