Slow Cooker Borshchok
Enjoy a rich and hearty take on a classic Eastern European dish with this Slow Cooker Borshchok recipe. This is our own version of the earlier Borshchok recipe featured on our site, adapted for the convenience of a slow cooker.
Tender chuck roast, sweet onion, and earthy beets come together in a perfectly balanced broth, which is seasoned simply for both sweet and salty flavors. This comforting soup is both vibrant and satisfying, and the slow cooking process ensures that the meat is very tender and its fat fully rendered.
Serve it with a dollop of sour cream for added creaminess, if you’d like. Perfect for cozy dinners or meal prepping in larger batches, this recipe brings tradition to your table with minimal effort. Slow cookers are a wonderful invention for this reason; they operate at low temperatures (170°F - 280°F, or 77°C - 138°C), utilizing a combination of direct heat, steam, and extended cooking times to safely cook foods at that temperature range. This makes them a dependable and worry-free method for preparing delicious meals. This recipe took some trial and error, but we're confident that it reflects our love of traditional cuisine. It makes about six servings.
- 3 lbs. chuck roast
- 1 sweet onion
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 cans whole beets
- 2 lemons, juiced
- Sour cream for serving (optional)
Place the chuck roast, whole, in the slow cooker, and add the sugar, salt, and water. Slice the onion in half, and add to the slow cooker. Cook the chuck roast and seasonings for 8 hours on LOW.
After eight hours, discard the onions, and carefully remove the meat onto a large cutting board.
Finely slice the meat, which should be quite soft, and return to the slow cooker, where the cooking liquid should remain. Open two cans of beets, and drain their liquid directly into the slow cooker.
Shred the beets, and add them to the cooker as well. Add the lemon juice. Taste the soup, and add more salt or sugar to taste, as the soup should be noticeably sweet and salty; you can also add more water if you prefer more liquid.
You may serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream, but this is optional.