Borscht!

[Yooper]

It's cold and rainy today, so it's the perfect time for borscht I think. We have some nice beets out of the garden.

We get a 1/2 grass-fed steer every year, and we have this wonderful assortment of soup bones. I'm boiling up the bones now with some carrots, bay leaf, onion, and then will take the meat off of the bones.

I found this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hot-Beef-Borscht-with-Sour-Cream-3189 and I think when I get my broth done I may go with this. Other recipes have tomato paste, and/or ketchup, but I don't remember every using tomato products in borscht.

My husband is 100% Russian, and he doesn't really remember how his family made it either.

Does anybody have any tips or hints for a great borscht (not necessarily authentic, but tasty)?

 

[JonM]

Sub'd. My mom made borscht often
in the 80s and I haven't had it for a long time. I'd love to try my hand at it, too.

 

[Yooper]

I found this site and recipe and thought it looked great: http://www.revivingtraditions.com/russian-borscht/

I changed it a bit, because I started with soup bones. And it was a bit too sweet, so I added a splash of cider vinegar.

I saw on another site a horseradish sour cream condiment for it, so I'm going to try it both ways, with sour cream and with the horseradish sour cream.

Oh, and I hate dill so no dill.

 

[unionrdr]

Smoked horseradish & sour cream is even better!

 

[hunter_le five]

Subscribed.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

The only borscht I've made is lazy borscht ... from a jar. I buy Manischewitz Borscht with Beets and puree it, then salt and pepper to taste and serve hot with a spoon of sour cream added.
I think I'd probably like the version made with a good beef stock even better ... I've just never made it.

Borscht is good with a big plate of crispy potato pancakes, that or the box-mix type of potato kugel (made in a sheet pan) too ... and while I'm at it, some sausages - maybe a kishka. Ok, and maybe some pumpernickel bread topped with with sweet butter, cottage cheese, chopped white onion and green onions/scallions and a sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
And a dark German beer.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

i've had the real-deal both in Poland and Russia. I love polish borscht, although at some restraunts it was a bit heavy on the dill. It tasted to me like a simple beef stock with lots of beets added, and it's thin and often drank from a bowl/cup hybrid. My wifes far-flung relatives we visited when I was living in germany gave us a recipe which used a 'starter' of fermented beets/carrots/onions, which was done on the counter for about a week before making the soup, this added the perfect 'tang' to the soup which i think we in the states try to replicate with vinegar.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

... Does anybody have any tips or hints for a great borscht (not necessarily authentic, but tasty)?

Beetroot Powder is sometimes added to borscht.
It can be purchased at health food stores or sometimes specialty shops or ethnic stores and is used both for more beet flavor and particularly to make the borscht a more intense red color. Might be just the ticket when using a base of beef stock in your borscht too.
btw it is also used in the cooking of other cultures, Chinese food, Indian food etc (for example it is the red used in Tandoori Chicken).

 

[Daphne-weizen]

You know in spite of my Russian heritage I've never had any interest what so ever in borscht. But since we're entering fall I'm looking forward to making soups and stews. Hmmm I might make split pea soup with ham and garlic cheese biscuits.

 

[unionrdr]

Split pea with ham outta the pit & those Red Lobster clone cheese biscuits. I got it out of one of the early Restaurant Secrets books.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

You know in spite of my Russian heritage I've never had any interest what so ever in borscht. But since we're entering fall I'm looking forward to making soups and stews. Hmmm I might make split pea soup with ham and garlic cheese biscuits.

My understanding has always been that Russian borscht is mostly a cabbage borscht ... with some beets and potatoes in it.