Aspic (jelly) beef

6 servings

240 minutes

Holodets is a traditional Russian dish dating back to ancient times when every housewife aimed to use all parts of the meat. Beef jelly is made from a rich broth that simmers for a long time on the fire, absorbing the aromas of spices and vegetables. After cooling, it turns into a tender, transparent jelly with appetizing pieces of meat submerged in it. The taste of holodets is rich and slightly spicy due to garlic and spices, with a pleasant gelatinous texture. The dish pairs perfectly with horseradish or mustard and is served with greens and vegetables on festive days. This jelly is not only tasty but also healthy as it contains natural collagen that strengthens joints and skin. Its simplicity in preparation and magnificent taste make it an indispensable element of any feast.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 820
• Proteins: 126g
• Fats: 33.1g
• Carbohydrates: 5.4g

Ingredients

• Beef leg: 1 pc
• Salt: 3 tsp
• Garlic: 3 clove
• Bay leaf: 3 pc
• Black peppercorns: 10 pc
• Onion: 1 pc
• Carrot: 1 pc

Cooking steps

1. Burn the beef legs, cut into 3-4 pieces, soak in cold water for 3-4 hours, preferably overnight. Instead of legs, you can use beef tail, I prefer it even though there's less meat.

   Required ingredients:

   • Beef leg: 1 piece

2. Carefully scrape the parts of the leg, place them in a large pot, and cover with cold water (3-4 liters). Bring to a boil, remove the foam, and simmer on low heat for almost 4 hours.

   Required ingredients:

   • Beef leg: 1 piece

3. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf, washed and uncut onion and carrot, and boil for another hour.

   Required ingredients:

   • Salt: 3 teaspoons
   • Black peppercorns: 10 pieces
   • Bay leaf: 3 pieces
   • Onion: 1 piece
   • Carrot: 1 piece

4. Remove from heat. Strain through a colander. Discard the carrots, onions, and spices. Separate the meat from the bones and chop it (best done in a deep bowl with two knives — hands cross with the knives and then spread apart. Clear meat chops well, while regular meat tears into fibers, which is a great outcome for aspic).

5. Pour a little broth into the chopped meat, squeeze in garlic, and mix. Place the resulting mixture into molds and level it. Dip a spoon into the mold and carefully pour the broth onto the spoon in a thin stream (so that the aspic consists of two layers — a meat layer at the bottom and a transparent jelly layer on top. If a uniform aspic is needed, mix the broth with the meat and pour it into the molds).

   Required ingredients:

   • Garlic: 3 cloves

6. Put in the refrigerator to set (depending on thickness — from 4 to 8 hours).