Ukranian Peasant Borscht

"My grandmother always made this borscht in the fall and winter. She never made anything by recipe so this is my version. The kids and neighbors love it and always ask when I'm going to make it again. Or tell me I should have made a bigger pot."
 
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photo by Marlitt photo by Marlitt
photo by Marlitt
Ready In:
2hrs
Ingredients:
16
Serves:
8-10
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ingredients

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directions

  • In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, brown bacon and render fat.
  • Add beef and brown.
  • Cut the onion, carrot and celery in half cross-wise and add to pot with beef.
  • Also add beets whole with skin, shredded cabbage and water.
  • Add pepper corns and bay leaves.
  • Bring to boil, then turn heat to medium low, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
  • After an hour of cooking start boiling potatoes whole (skin on or off your choice) in a separate pot until soft (45 minutes).
  • When soup is ready turn off heat, with a slotted spoon remove the celery carrot and beets.
  • Discard celery and carrots or use for something else.
  • Leave beets on a separate plate or bowl until cool enough to handle (10 min).
  • Peel and grate beets back into the soup pot.
  • Add grated carrot.
  • Bring soup back to boil.
  • Add vinegar and lemon juice.
  • Cook 5 minutes longer.
  • To serve place a boiled potato in bowl and ladle soup on top.
  • Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.
  • Enjoy.

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Reviews

  1. An excellent example of how looks (and prejudice)can limit our horizons... I've never bought "real" beets before - much less with hugh leaves and roots still attached, or carrots with their long flowing leaves still attached - I hate cooked cabbage - to be quite honest I was given this recipe by a friend as a challenge. I was not very excited about it, but my pride forced me to give the whole adventure a try. Mostly because it was so far out of my element (guess I'm picky - don't really care for most vegetables outside of the usual cucumbers, lettuce, tomato - you get the picture ) So... this was like throwing stuff into a garbage can that was a soup pot. It had a pungent aroma (to me at least) while cooking. I did everything I was supposed to do to it - then let it sit overnight in the frig, because I just couldn't make myself eat it -after making it. The color didn't bother me nearly as bad as trying to fish all the stuff out of the "borscht" that was suppose to come out. I was certain this was so vile it would kill me - Boy - was I ever wrong. This was wonderful... I'm still stunned... AMAZING - just simply amazing. The description was right - I should have made a bigger pot! I could have never guess a more different outcome.
     
  2. Recipe is super broth heavy. I would recommend reducing the broth by half, or upping the cabbage, beet and vegetable content by at least double. Traditional Borscht is made without meat, but I've always had it with beef added. I used venison, which also works well. Also, as my father always has when making borscht, I leave all the vegetables in, just chopped into bite size pieces. Whole potatoes are cool, but hard for young kids to manage - i would also recommend just cubing those and adding that way. Maybe a bit Americanized, but if this is your main course, as I use it, it needs to be heartier.
     
  3. Thanks for such a great tasting soup.I have never had borscht,it was so good.I also have frozen some to have again.
     
  4. I cooked this for my family tonight. It was the first borscht for most of us, and even the first time eating beats for a few people.<br/><br/>Everyone really liked it, but there were a few things I would do different next time. I probably will not render all the bacon grease. Instead of taking the carrots and celery out I will probably just chop them up. I'll also add a bit more salt. We put 2 cloves of garlic in this time, I think i might put a couple of more next time.<br/><br/>Otherwise very good!
     
  5. This recipe was amazing.The bacon really does something for the soup, and I would never make borscht without it again. I did think it could have used a little more veg content, but the flavor was perfect! I would up the cabbage by about 25%,add one more beet and one more carrot.This is by far the best borscht recipe I have come across. Thanks for sharing.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>I live in Canada our winters are far to long and cold. I like to try new recipes. I don't really have a favorite cookbook. I enjoy reading fiction, my friends,good conversation,gardening,and the great outdoors. Love to travel, by plane, boat or automobile. My pet peeves are inconsiderate drivers who stop on a main road holding up traffic. <br />I'd really enjoy spending some time camping IN THE SUMMER by a beach or go the caribbean in the winter-- to the beach at one of the all inclusive clubs they always have a lot of different foods to try.. <br /><br /><a href=http://www.amazingcounter.com><img src=http://c9.amazingcounters.com/counter.php?i=1862985&amp;c=5589268 border=0 alt=HTML Counter /></a><a href=http://www.onlinecomputercoupons.com>Dell</a> <a href=http://www.onlinecomputercoupons.com/dell-server.htm>Server Computers</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br />Participation &amp; Awards:</p> <p><a href=http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z205/jubespage/ZWT7%20Banners/9d968c99.gif></a></p> <p><img src=http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z205/jubespage/ZWT7%20Banners/9d968c99.gif alt= /></p> <p><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/berriesblinkie.gif alt=Image hosted by Photobucket.com /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/200_PACpic.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket /> <img src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/projects/pacbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/Zaar%20World%20Tour%203/ZWT3-Participation.gif alt= /> <br /><br /><img src=http://www.satsleuth.com/cooking/RecipeSwap2.JPG alt= /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r317/j_welcome/pics2/food/PRMRcopy.jpg alt= /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/DUCHESS13/Zaar%20World%20Tour%204/ZWTAB-tg.gif alt= /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a254/Sharon123/NZT-2-AnnaciasZaarTagbanner.jpg border=0 alt=Annacia's banner for Zaar Tag /><img src=http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a254/Sharon123/Copyoftag300-banner.jpg border=0 alt=Susie's Banner for Newest Zaar Tag /> <br /><br /><img src=http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a132/tgifford/Game%20Room%20Banners/AM%20Banners/ZaarStar-AMBanner.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket&gt; /></p>
 
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