Borscht with beans

Instructions

Buy meat. What is Ukrainian borscht without meat? The best is a variety of meats. A little pork, ideally ribs. A little beef, ribs are better too. Chickens – surprisingly, the neck, head, wings are better. In villages, housewives add a small piece of old yellow lard. And definitely the brain bone, for the sake.

If you ask any 1,000 housewives how to cook Ukrainian borscht, you will hear 1,000 different versions of the recipe. And all are beautiful.

Each recipe is unique and affordable. Pineapples, bananas, strawberries and other delicacies are not added to Ukrainian borscht. Only meat and vegetables available.



A pot of 5–6 liters. Pour cold water into the pan. By volume — a little more than half, but no more than two-thirds.
Put the pan on the fire.

At this time, wash the meat. Cut into fairly large pieces, 40–50 pieces per gram. The bone is thrown whole. Divide the ribs one by one and chop into pieces 5-6 cm long. Chicken pieces – throw them entire.

Put the meat in water. Then bring it to a boil. Be sure to remove the foam.

Throw in 2-3 bay leaves, parsley root and celery — in entire pieces, size as desired. A little salt and pepper. You can add a mixture of spices for flavor, but do not overdo it.

Boil a strong meat broth for at least an hour. The meat should become soft and separate from the bones. When the broth is ready, remove the parsley root, bay leaf and add the beans soaked in water in advance.



Wait until our future Ukrainian borscht boils, reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes. The beans should be slightly raw.

Most of the recipes involve frying vegetables before adding them to Ukrainian borscht. This is normal, but not everyone does this. For example, in the region where my relatives lived, vegetables were never fried. The exception is beets, if they are not dark and burgundy enough.

Add carrot, onion, and pepper cut into pieces to the broth. The size of the pieces is at your discretion.



Add crushed garlic cloves and finely chopped peeled fresh hot pepper or a couple of bunches of dry hot pepper.



Boil borscht for 15 minutes.

Clean the beets. Many housewives fry beets in butter or lard. That's what my grandmother did. But in the past, a true-colored beet was not always found, it was usually overpollinated, and, accordingly, whitish. Now the beetroot is dark, dark purple, and you can paint the wallpaper with it. I throw beets raw. It gives color – wow!



Beets can be grated on a coarse grater, or cut into strips. A straw is more beautiful. Add beets to boiling Ukrainian borscht – stir well and admire the color!



Cook for another 10 minutes and immediately add potatoes cut into large cubes. In principle, potatoes can be thrown whole and mashed directly into the borscht.



When the potatoes are cooked, typically 15 minutes or a little more, add the tomato paste. It's strictly for taste! For 6 liters, I throw 3 tbsp. l. with top, then I try. There should be sourness in the borscht, barely noticeable.



Tomato paste should boil for at least 5 minutes.

Add thinly sliced white cabbage! How many? So that the Ukrainian borscht is not runny. Cabbage in borscht is the same as alcohol in vodka – irreplaceable!



Many housewives add sauerkraut to borscht. Well, for sure. I don't add.

I like it when the cabbage is a little firm. Furthermore, I cook it for no more than 5 minutes.



Ukrainian borscht must be peppered and salted. To taste. And add finely chopped green parsley and dill.



Immediately turn off and let stand. How many? Until the next morning. I'm not kidding! The tastiest Ukrainian borscht — tomorrow! And necessarily with sour cream. Sour cream is not fat itself. Ideally homemade or 10-15%.



Then everything is like in a fairy tale! A plate of fiery red borscht! Sour cream!!! A cut bulb! Garlic! Fresh bread, or, in general, the bomb – donuts with garlic! Green onions and young garlic.



Delicious Ukrainian borscht with meat and sour cream is the most favorite home first dish