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Traditional Borscht Recipe

2022-11-01

By Turbota Babusya

Ukranian Cuisine

Soup

How to Make the Perfect Borscht: Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, and Air Fryer Methods for Rich, Flavorful Soup

Slow Cooker Borscht: Simmer Beets, Cabbage, and Vegetables for a Deep, Flavorful Soup

Use the slow cooker to simmer your beets, cabbage, and other vegetables slowly for hours, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. This low-and-slow approach enhances the depth of the borscht, and you can easily add broth or stock and let it cook while you go about your day.

Instant Pot Borscht: Cook Beets and Vegetables Fast Without Losing Flavor and Color

Use the Instant Pot’s "pressure cook" function to cook the beets and other vegetables quickly while preserving their color and flavor. The "saute" function is great for caramelizing onions and garlic before adding the rest of the ingredients, making it a faster option for rich, hearty borscht.

Air Fryer Borscht: Roast Beets, Carrots, and Onions for Extra Sweetness and Depth

Before adding vegetables to your borscht, use the air fryer to roast beets, carrots, or onions to bring out their natural sweetness and deepen their flavor. Roasting in the air fryer allows for a caramelized, rich taste, adding a new layer of complexity to your soup.

Tips and Suggestions on Borscht

Balancing flavors

Borscht is a soup with complex flavors that can be a challenge to get just right. Finding the perfect balance between sweet, sour, and savory can take some practice. Taste as you go and adjust seasonings accordingly, such as adding more vinegar for sourness or sugar for sweetness.

Achieving the right texture

Borscht typically has a chunky texture with tender vegetables and meat. Achieving the desired texture can be challenging, as the vegetables should be cooked until soft, but not mushy. To achieve this, consider cooking tougher vegetables like beets and carrots slightly longer, while adding more delicate vegetables like cabbage towards the end.

Cooking the meat

Borscht can be made with different types of meat, such as beef, pork, or chicken. Choosing the right cut and cooking it to a tender consistency can be challenging. Opt for tougher cuts like beef chuck or pork shoulder as they are more suitable for slow-cooking, resulting in more flavorful and tender meat.

Preserving vibrant colors

Borscht is known for its vibrant red color, mainly derived from beets. However, maintaining the vibrant color while cooking and reheating can be a challenge. To preserve the color, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to the soup, and avoid overcooking the beets. Additionally, store any leftover borscht separately from the sour cream until ready to serve.

Letting flavors develop

Borscht often tastes even better the next day as the flavors have had time to develop and meld together. Consider making borscht in advance or allowing it to rest and cool before reheating. This allows the flavors to deepen and enhances the overall taste.

Classic Borscht Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 kg beef brisket
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 4 medium beets, peeled and chopped
  • 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 head of cabbage, shredded
  • 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 8 cups water

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until browned on all sides.
  2. Add the onions, beets, carrots, potatoes, garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
  3. Remove the beef from the pot and shred it. Return the shredded beef to the pot and discard the bay leaves and peppercorns.
  4. Add the cabbage and simmer for an additional 30 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
  5. Stir in the white vinegar and dill in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Cooking Time

Preparation Time 20 min

Cook Time 120 min

Total time 140 min

Nutrition Facts

  • Calories: 350
  • Fat: 12 g
  • Saturated Fat: 4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Fiber: 8 g
  • Sugar: 12 g
  • Protein: 25 g

Variations for Borscht

Fish Borscht Salmon

This version features rich, orange-grilled salmon topped with a vibrant raspberry-red borscht sauce, finished with bright white crème fraîche and deep green dill sprigs. A visually stunning dish.

Beautiful Borscht Salmon

Fish Maw Borscht Soup

This version features a tender and chewy fish maw immersed in a vibrant, delightful broth. This exquisite soup beautifully blends the warmth of the sophistication and grandeur of New Year celebrations.

Traditional Shanghai Fish Maw Borscht Soup

Green Borshcht

This version is made with fresh sorrel, this emerald-green beauty shines when prepared with duck stock, beautifully complemented by the sharpness of fresh sorrel.

Green Borshcht

Borsch with Duck and Prunes

This version features prunes, adding a touch of sweetness that perfectly complements the rich flavors of the duck.

Borsch with Duck and Prunes

Chicken Borscht

This version features LizTheChef method, dicing instead of grating the beets, and using a bouquet garni instead of a bay leaf. Delivering a comforting and flavorful borscht experience.

Chicken Borscht

Moldovan Borscht

This version features tender chicken, white wine, and fragrant dill, creating a lighter, flavorful soup with refreshing tang from tomatoes.

Moldovan Borscht

Chicken Borscht with Horseradish Yoghurt

This version features tender chicken cutlets and earthy beets which are enhanced with sautéed vegetables, garlic, allspice, and topped with tangy horseradish yogurt.

Chicken and beet borscht with horseradish yoghurt

Borscht Recipe Review

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