Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 3¼ qt cold water
• 21¼ oz pork ribs or beef on the bone
• 1/2 onion, left whole, for the stock, plus 1 medium onion, chopped, for the soup
• 1 carrot, for the stock, plus 2 medium carrots, grated, for the soup
• 2 celery sticks
• 2 bay leaves, plus 1 bay leaf for the soup
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 2 medium beets, peeled and grated
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 small white cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 lemon, or 1 tsp white vinegar
• Black pepper, to taste
• Sour cream and fresh dill, for serving (traditional)

Method

1. Put the meat, water, whole half onion, stock carrot, celery, 2 bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large pot. Bring slowly to a boil, skim, then simmer gently for 90 minutes until the meat is tender.
2. Strain the stock, discarding the stock vegetables. Cut the meat from the bone into pieces and return the meat and stock to the pot with 1 teaspoon salt.
3. Add the potatoes and sliced cabbage to the simmering stock and cook for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, fry the chopped onion and grated carrots in a little oil or fat for 7 minutes until soft. Add the grated beets, tomato paste, and a ladleful of stock and braise for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic at the end.
5. Add the beet mixture and the remaining bay leaf to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes more, until everything is tender and the color is deep red.
6. Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar, taste, and adjust salt and pepper. The lemon keeps the color bright and balances the sweetness.
7. Rest off the heat for 10 minutes. Serve in deep bowls with a spoonful of sour cream and dill if you like.

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 140 min · Total: 150 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data