Babcha's Borscht
 
 
This traditional Ukrainian borscht is hearty and healthy. It takes a couple days to put together, but the payoff is more than worthwhile. I like making a massive batch and then freezing it for the dark days of winter!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Ukrainian
Ingredients
  • Stock:
  • 1½ lbs. beef shank (including bones)*
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 2 hot red chili peppers
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 medium onions
  • .
  • Borscht:
  • 1 lb. (7-9 medium sized) fresh beets, including stems and leaves
  • 4 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 parsnip, diced
  • 2 potatoes, diced
  • ½ head red cabbage, diced
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup sour cream + more for serving
  • 1½ tsp flour
  • 4 large sprigs fresh dill (4 heaping tsp dried)
  • 5-7 Tbsp. garlic pickle juice
Instructions
  1. To make the stock, rinse beef shank in cold water. Place in a large pot with 6 cups cold water. Add salt, peppercorns, chili peppers and bay leaf. Chop 1 onion into quarters and add to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 hours. Stain into a bowl, discarding bones and fat. Pick meat from the beef bones and chop into bite sized pieces. Set meat and broth aside to chill.
  2. Next, start fermenting your beets: peel and grate beet bulbs. Cut stems and tear leaves into 2 inch pieces. Store your beet leaves refrigerated in a small container. Place stems and shredded bulbs in a large non-metal bowl and toss with ½ tsp sugar and 4 Tbsp white vinegar. Store in a cool, dark place for 3 days, tossing again once a day.
  3. After fermenting the beets for 3 days, we are ready to put our borscht together. Dice potatoes, carrots and parsnips into small cubes. Chop red cabbage and the remaining onion into bite sized pieces.
  4. Melt butter in a large pot and sauté onion and garlic until just golden. Add beet bulbs and stems, carrots, parsnip, potatoes and cabbage. Toss and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.
  5. In a medium mixing bowl, blend tomato paste and sour cream together. Sprinkle in flour and mix in. Add ½ cup water and stir well. Add the sour cream mixture to the vegetable pot and cook for 5 minutes.
  6. Add broth, beet leaves, dill and pickle juice (start with a bit of pickle juice and add more to taste- I like mine with a fair glug, but if this is your first borscht you might want to ease into it). Simmer until vegetables are cooked through. Add meat and season to taste.
  7. Serve with a healthy dollop of sour cream.
Notes
* Omit for vegetarian
Recipe by Port and Fin at https://portandfin.com/babchas-borscht/