To begin with, it will be useful to clarify that borsch with meat in Ukrainian has only a symbolic name, since each housewife prepares it in her own way. Moreover, there are striking differences in each region and in each region. In the west, they adhere to some rules, in the Kuban - others, in the east - third. Therefore, this recipe for borsch with meat is just one of many options.
Each recipe for borsch with meat in Ukrainian has its own, but general rules still exist. For example, carrots and cabbage are not cut into pieces, and the broth is cooked not only from one meat. Here about these (and other) subtleties and will be described in the article.
I want to share how cooked borsch in our family. Try and, I assure you, you will not remain indifferent.
First you need to choose the meat for the broth. A combination of three types of meat is ideal: beef, pork, chicken. If you have to choose one thing, then it is better to stop on beef (veal). You need to choose meat with a bone. In Ukraine, it is called sugar or brain. It is the bone (such rich and fragrant broth cannot be made from meat) that plays the main role here. All components will be given to a four-liter pot. I would like to remind once again that the hostess in the kitchen is an artist, so you do not need to use electronic scales and a timer, use the intuition and imagination given to the woman by nature.
So, the recipe for borsch with meat:
- fresh beef bone with meat (0.5 kg);
- fresh cabbage (half a small head);
- carrots (1 large or two smaller, choose a brighter, orange);
- beets (1 pc. medium size (250-300 gr), you need to choose a dark one, without white-pink veins, maroon color);
- bulb (single, large);
- Bulgarian pepper (sweet, 1-2 pcs.);
- tomato juice (preferably freshly squeezed, but canned (from bags or cans), 300-350 gr) is also suitable;
- ground black pepper ;
- greens (dill, leek, parsley);
- vegetable oil (80-90 gr);
- salt and one small bay leaf.
First, the broth is cooked with the addition of a full tablespoon of salt. It is impossible to clarify the time, approximately from an hour to one and a half, the readiness is determined by the separation of meat from bone (meat falls off, as it were).
We peel the onion, cut one third and dip it into the broth (it continues to cook), meanwhile we peel the potatoes, wash them and cut them into cubes. Add to the broth. While the potatoes are being cooked, chop the cabbage. No need to cut it into pieces, you should get thin stripes, not cubes. We send after the potatoes. While potatoes and cabbage reach readiness, we proceed to frying. It is to be fried, in the Ukrainian borsch with meat, only meat, potatoes and cabbage are cooked!
Washing carrots and beets. We clean and rub on a coarse grater. You do not need to combine, otherwise the beets will color the carrots in a different color. Finely chop the rest of the onion. Put the frying pan on the fire and pour oil into it. We spread the grated carrots in the pan, next - beets and onions. Oil as if envelops the ingredients and does not significantly change their color. Many recipes used vinegar for these purposes, however, it is completely inappropriate here. After the contents of the pan are slightly fried (but not fried), you can mix and pour in tomato juice. Stew vegetables, stirring until water evaporates and vegetables begin to brown again. The characteristic smell of fried tomatoes will tell you when to remove the pan from the heat. If removed earlier, the aroma and taste will not be so bright. Now send the roasting to the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat, add chopped herbs, bell pepper, ground black pepper, bay leaf and salt to taste, close the pan and let it brew for a couple of hours. We take out a stone and bay leaf. Borsch is ready.
Some housewives love to cook borsch with beans and fish. These are personal preferences. In this case, the recipe for borsch with meat remains almost unchanged, only the beans are soaked for three to four hours and cooked with the broth. And canned fish is quite suitable (canned food with the addition of tomato, for example, sprats).
It is erroneous that borsch in Ukraine is cooked with sour cream. In no case! Sour cream or mayonnaise, again, if desired, is added directly to the plate. Ukrainian borsch with meat is a dish that will not leave anyone indifferent.