| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 5 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 2 hr 45 min |
| Yield: | 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon, diced
- 1 pound lean beef chuck, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dill seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- 2 quarts water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds red beets, greens tops removed, roasted and grated
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
- 6 cups shredded green cabbage
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the bacon in a Dutch oven or stockpot and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the fat begins to render, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- To the fat in the pan, add the onions and carrots, and stir to coat. Cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, dill seeds, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the red wine vinegar and stir to deglaze the pan. Return the meat to the pot and add the water, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer partially covered until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, place the beets on a baking sheet and brush with the oil. Roast until tender and can be pierced easily with a knife, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Trim the stem and root ends and remove the skins. Coarsely grate and set aside.
- When the meat is tender and falling apart, add the beets, potatoes, and cabbage. Simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes. Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Ladle borscht into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and pinch of fresh dill.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 297 |
| Total Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Cholesterol | 56 mg |
| Sodium | 1067 mg |
Reviews
They say that whether or not you like beets is determined by DNA. I am one who does not like beets. HOWEVER – this is a truly delicious recipe and merits the work that goes into it. The beef and the beets together with the seasonings and wine vinegar, create an almost sweet-sour result. I have made it three times and it is a favorite request of my kids when they come home. This time I made some notes which I will pass along: this calls for about 5 beets. Don’t used canned beets (ugh). Roast them as directed – the caramelized beet sugar is a key flavor, as is the caramelized beef in the saute process. To the two quarts of water I add about a teaspoon or two of beef bouillon – the kind that comes in a jar so it won’t be salty. When it is time to return the meat and water to simmer, I cover it with the lid completely because sometimes the meat takes a while before it is falling apart, and too much of the liquid can be lost during that process. This last time I used lean beef chuck cut into about half-inch to three-quarter inch pieces, and it still took about 4 hours on stove top for the meat to be fork tender. I live in the altitude, maybe that has something to do with it. And finally, because I was getting tired and looked for a shortcut, I peeled the cooled roasted beets and threw them into a blender instead of grating them. Just a quick spurt and they were good to go. I added a little water to the beats and swirled them around in the blender carafe and poured it right into the soup. The beet bits were still there, and so was all that great juice.
Several years ago I went to Russia and learned to like the Borscht served in restaurants. It was quite different – more watered down almost like a clear soup. But the balance of sweet and sour with a deep undertone was what I loved, and what I love about this recipe. If you really can’t abide beets, make the beginning beef part of the recipe – it is even wonderful if you stop at the halfway point.