It is unlikely that there will be at least one single family in Slavic countries that does without borsch. This is a very tasty dish. Let everyone have their own idea of how to cook borsch (from beef, pork or no meat at all), their tricks and the different composition of additional ingredients - the dish remains the same, only each time it acquires new flavoring nuances. However, some culinary techniques and ingredients included in cabbage soup remain unshakable.
The secrets of delicious borsch
Despite the details of how to cook beef borsch, you intend what vegetables you are going to add, except cabbage, beets, carrots and onions, you need to remember the main rules.
- If you want to get beetroot shade of borscht - take table beetroot. If you want pronounced red - buy soup, which when cooking becomes almost white (and more tomatoes or pasta).
- In a large number of seasonings and spices, not a single tasty borsch with beef needs - enough pepper, garlic and lavrushka. Ready to add greens - and enough. Otherwise there will be no borsch smell and taste at all.
- To make beef borscht delicious, with not boiled, but not too hard ingredients, acidic ingredients like beets, sprinkled with vinegar, tomatoes or sauerkraut (there are such recipes!) Are placed later than the rest of the ingredients.
- Salt and season with garlic before turning off the heat. Then the vegetables in the borscht will remain strong, and he himself will not sort out the garlic smell.
The main thing is broth
The quality of your dish depends on it to the greatest extent. The broth should turn out to be very rich, especially since the selected meat is non-greasy, and the crust of fat on the broth does not form even when cooled. Therefore, the question of how much to cook beef for borscht can be answered unequivocally: until you get bored. But no less than two hours! Make fire minimal, so less foam is formed. And the one that still appears, be sure to shoot. To make the base of your borscht transparent, not muddy, put uncut carrots and onions in it - then they are thrown away. Before the end of cooking, for about ten minutes, seasonings are laid: laurel and peas. Then they, together with the boiled vegetables, go into the bin. And of course, before further gestures, the broth should be filtered.
Basic recipe
If you still don’t know how to cook beef borsch, start with the simplest recipe. We have already sorted out the broth, so skip this step. We only note that the meat must be removed, cut into pieces and returned to the pan at the end. Beets are cooked in a separate bowl. If it is too large, it is cut in half. Do the same with potatoes, carrots and cabbage, only they can be cooked in a common vessel. Vegetables are cut into strips (potatoes can be diced). The bulbs are finely chopped and let go in vegetable oil; when the onion becomes almost transparent, tomato paste flows into it, and the frying is stewed for several minutes. It remains to combine all the components in a saucepan, salt and warm. Traditionally, this first course is served with herbs and sour cream.
Russian borsh
Its characteristic feature is that to cook beef borsch in Russian means not to put chopped potatoes in it. It is allowed to be introduced with boiled whole tubers or slices already upon serving. The broth is taken mainly beef, but many housewives combine beef with pork and praise the result. When the base is ready, the meat is removed, cut and thrown back. When it boils again, slaw cabbage is put until it is ready. At the same time, onions, beets, root parsley (or celery) and carrots are cut - all, except onions, with a thin straw. Vegetables are placed in a saucepan or deep pan, where sunflower oil and half a glass of broth are poured. They will be stewed for about twenty minutes. After half the allotted time, tomatoes are added in cubes, a little vinegar and sugar - as you add the latter, constantly try so as not to overwhelm. When the vegetables are ready, the frying is poured into the pan, the borsch is simmering a little more, turned off and left to insist. You can call for dinner!
Ukrainian borsch
If you are particularly interested in how to cook beef borscht according to the recipes of this country, get ready to add lard to it - you can’t do without it. Another distinguishing feature is the bean component in the dish. It is worth paying special attention to: some housewives cook the beans separately, but most insist on joint cooking, so the borscht is more aromatic. Beans are soaked, preferably all night. Then the water is decanted, and the beans are put in the broth somewhere in the middle of the cooking time. Onions, beets and carrots are chopped, put in a pan and sautéed. When the onion begins to shine, add the tomatoes, grated into the pulp (or tomato paste), sliced bell peppers, a little broth, and dressing stewed for about 15 minutes. At this time, put the potatoes into cubes in the broth: add five minutes after boiling, dressing in a dozen - slaw. Before being removed from the fire, lard, grated with garlic, and salt are introduced. Under a covered lid with the stove turned off, the borsch is infused for at least 10 minutes - so it will be tastier.
Some clarifications
Modern Ukrainians have largely modified the recipe. So, instead of rubbing garlic and fat, many beloved Ukrainian products are cut into cubes, mixed with vegetable oil and seasoned with a mixture. Garlic is pressed through a press and put into a pan before turning it off. In the old original Ukrainian recipe, flour was also included - it was added to stewed vegetables. Now they have completely abandoned this component. And today beans are put in borsch, and also if they prepare a lean dish - not on a broth, but on a bean broth, or if cabbage soup is cooked with mushrooms (the so-called Carpathian recipe). You can try to cook any option.
How to cook borsch in a slow cooker
As always, this unit is on top! Moreover, borsch with beef in a slow cooker can be prepared in two ways. According to one of them, the broth is traditionally cooked, and already on its basis in the "soup" mode the dish itself is prepared. On the second - meat is not boiled separately. If you have chosen the last method, for the basis you need to take meat without bones and one that cooks quickly. For example, brisket. It is cut portionwise before being sent to the bowl. The rest of the ingredients are prepared in the same way as a “pan” recipe. At first, in frying mode, without a lid, onions are stewed for three minutes. Then at the same time carrots are added, and at the end - beets, for a couple of minutes. Then tomato paste goes to the dressing, and after 3 minutes the mode is turned off. Meat, potatoes and cabbage are put on top, water with seasonings is poured, the lid is closed and the “soup” is turned on for half an hour. Before calling to the table, try the meat. If it is harsh, extend the time.
Now you know how to cook borsch in very different ways . A recipe with beef (this photo demonstrates clearly) gives not only a delicious, but also appetizing looking result.