Borscht with bacon
8 servings
150 minutes
Borscht with bacon is a harmony of rich flavor and aroma from Ukrainian cuisine. This hearty soup incorporates traditional ingredients: juicy beef brisket, sweet beetroot, and tender cabbage. However, its highlight is the aromatic bacon that adds a pleasant smoky note and enriches the texture. The history of borscht goes back centuries, while the bacon variation is a modern interpretation that adds brightness to the classic recipe. The dish is perfect for family lunches, warming and filling the home with coziness. The acidity of tomato paste and apple cider vinegar, complemented by a hint of garlic, creates a rich flavor palette. Borscht should be served with fresh herbs, rye bread, and a spoonful of sour cream to fully reveal its taste and enjoy its thick aromatic depth.
1
Wash the meat, fill with cold water, add an unpeeled onion, cutting only the top and bottom, and let it simmer for 2 hours.
- Beef brisket: 1 kg
- Water: 3 l
- Onion: 2 pieces
2
Chop the cabbage. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Cut the bell pepper into cubes as well. Slice the onion into half rings. Grate the carrot and beet on a coarse grater. Cut the celery into large cubes.
- White cabbage: 300 g
- Potato: 250 g
- Sweet pepper: 1 piece
- Onion: 2 pieces
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Beet: 2 pieces
- Celery root: 200 g
3
Remove the meat and let it cool. Add cabbage to the prepared broth. After 15 minutes, add potatoes to the cabbage, then sweet pepper. In a pan, fry the onion until golden brown, then add carrots, followed by beetroot; after about 10 minutes add three tablespoons of tomato paste. To preserve color, add 2 tablespoons of apple vinegar and mix quickly. Add 2 cloves of garlic through a garlic press to the sautéed mixture. Remove from heat.
- White cabbage: 300 g
- Potato: 250 g
- Sweet pepper: 1 piece
- Onion: 2 pieces
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Beet: 2 pieces
- Tomato paste: 3 tablespoons
- Apple cider vinegar: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic: 1 head
4
Add the sauté to the broth, then the meat that has been separated from the bone and cut into pieces. Leave for 10 minutes (no more!).
- Beef brisket: 1 kg
5
Grind bacon with 2 cloves of garlic in a blender, then fry in a pan with vegetable oil, season with salt, and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat.
- Bacon: 290 g
- Garlic: 1 head
- Vegetable oil: 5 tablespoon
6
Remove the soup from the heat, add salt, black pepper, bay leaf, and spices to taste. Add 2 cloves of garlic, previously chopped. Then add the fried bacon with garlic. Finally, add the chopped herbs. Cover with a lid and let it steep.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Black peppercorns: to taste
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
- Ground red pepper: to taste
- Garlic: 1 head
- Bacon: 290 g
- Green onions: 1 bunch
- Parsley: 1 bunch
- Dill: 1 bunch
- Coriander: 1 bunch