Simple Russian Borshch
Borshch, sometimes spelled Borscht, is a hearty beef soup that features beets and cabbage, along with seasoning from peppercorns, bay leaf, lemon juice, and sugar. This version comes from The Russian Cookbook (1967). If you’re wondering when to add sour cream to Borscht, as it is the traditional topping, this recipe recommends that you add it at the time of serving. The Old Slavonic word “borsht,” meaning “hogweed,” is the origin of the modern word for this popular soup.
- 4 - 6 lbs. soup beef
- 14 cups cold water
- 6 peppercorns
- 1 large bay leaf
- 5 - 6 raw beets
- ½ small head cabbage
- Salt to taste
- 2 - 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 or more teaspoons sugar to taste
- A bowl of sour cream
- Minced dill (optional)
Remove some of the thick fat from the meat, but not all of it. Put the meat in a large casserole with 14 cups cold water, 6 peppercorns and 1 bay leaf. Bring it to a boil, skim it twice, cover it, leaving a small opening for the escape of steam, and cook it at a low boil for 2 - 3 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat. Strain stock and remove grease.
About an hour before serving, wash the raw beets, remove their tops without nicking the beetroot, and cook the roots in boiling salt water until tender (20 - 30 minutes for young beets; more for large, old ones). Next, wash and shred cabbage and add it to meat broth. Add salt to taste. When beets are cooked, peel them, cut them in long thin strips (julienne), add them to soup, and let soup boil twice. Stir in 2 - 3 tablespoons lemon juice to give soup a tart (but not sour) taste. If the beets are not sweet, add 1 teaspoon or more sugar. The borshch is now ready to serve with the meat on the side, as a second course, or cut in cubes and reheated in the soup. If meat is not served with the soup, some side dish should be offered.
Sour cream is always served with Borshch. Some cooks stir it into the slightly cooled soup before serving, but this spoils the next day’s leftovers. It is more prudent to serve the sour cream in a bowl on the side. Mix in a little minced fresh dill, if you choose. Serves 8 - 10.