Borscht with Short Rib Stock

Borscht is a funny little soup.  Beet soup, with the best shade of magenta!

And really, it’s a super healthy soup.  Jam-packed with veggies.  Every home in Poland, the Ukraine, Russia, even Germany etc will have their own recipe for it.  And they’re all good! Some use meat, others are completely vegetarian.  Some have cabbage, others don’t.  So really, mine is just another variation.  This is the kind of soup my mom used to make.  Whatever was in the fridge or pantry made its way into the pot.  Nothing ever got wasted by my mom!

I made this soup right towards the beginning of our married life.  And every bowl of borscht that I’ve tried since then, I compare to this one, it’s just that good.  

Short Rib Stock

What I love about the recipe, is that it starts with making a beef stock using short ribs. First the short ribs are seared in a pot.  Remove them to a plate while you simmer the aromatics.  Then add the ribs back in, cover with water and then just let it simmer away.  Once the meat is fall apart tender, remove the ribs to a plate, Once cooled, the fat is easily removed, and the meat can be shredded.  This will get added to the final soup.This can be done in advance and chilled or even frozen till you want to continue with the soup.

Borscht

At its heart, this soup is just a colourful vegetable soup.  So the main ingredients are easy to find, budget friendly vegetables.

First thing, once you have the stock and meat prepared, you will turn your attention to the beets.  Try and choose ones that are similar in size.  All you need to do is slice them in half, place them in a bakign dish, cover with a bit of water, seal with foil and roast in the oven till a knife slides right in, about one hour, depending on the size of your beets. Once cooled they will be easily peeled and diced small.  These will get added to the pot filled with onion, cabbage, garlic, carrot and small diced potato.

Towards the end, the meat will be added in to warm through.  Now you are ready with the most hearty and heartwarming soup.

It’s finished off with that customary sour cream that will turn the entire soup the bestest shade of fuchsia ever!  And the sourness of the sour cream will cut through any slight sweetness that the beets bring.  Together with red wine or apple cider vinegar, they both ensure that this soup is balanced: tart, savoury, tangy, just sweet enough.  

I also add a touch of caraway seed and smoked paprika, for just the gentlest amount of heat.  But you certainly don’t have to.  Also, really do taste and season.  You may find the sweetness of the beets overwhelming.  In that case, a touch more salt will be your friend.  You want a balanced flavour profile here.  Unless you love the sweetness of beets, in which case, leave well enough alone!  

Final Thoughts

Because there are a few steps to this recipe, and because there are only two of us here (the cats don’t care for borscht) I freeze some for future cravings, as Jim really loves this soup. 

Feel free to use napa cabbage, even red or purple cabbage, if that is what you have on hand.  You can make this vegetarian by skipping the Short Rib Stock, and using vegetable stock for the soup.

Top your soup with sour cream, crême fraîche, or even greek yogurt, for that bit of tang.

If you love a good Borscht then you will love my Mum’s Cabbage Roll Soup, Gulaschsuppe aka German Goulash Soup, Lentil Sausage and Kale Soup

If you make this cozy and comforting and hearty Borscht in Short Rib Stock, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

5 from 1 vote

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BORSCHT WITH SHORT RIB STOCK

A cozy, stick to your ribs soup jam packed with all the healthy winter veggies. With the added tang of sour cream. Because everyone should enjoy one bright pink soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine Eastern European

Keyword apple cider vinegar, beets, cabbage, short ribs

Prep Time 4 hours

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Short Rib Stock

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 pounds beef short ribs, , cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion , sliced
• 10-11 cups water, depending on how large your pot is,
• 2 celery stalks , chopped
• 1 medium carrot , coarsely chopped
• 12 whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole cloves

BORSCHT

• 5 medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter), rinsed, tops trimmed, cut in half
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup diced carrots, a bit more is fine
• 1/2 cup chopped onions, a bit more is fine
• 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage a bit more is fine
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 yellow potato, peeled, diced
• 1/2 tsp crushed caraway seeds, or less if you so desire
• 1/2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp (or more) red wine vinegar, can also use sherry vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups shredded Short Rib meat from the Stock, should be about half of the meat that was shredded when making the stock.
• Sour cream, or Greek Yogurt or even Crême Fraîche
• fresh dill, chopped for garnish

Instructions

STOCK, makes enough for two batches of Borscht Soup

1. Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add half of beef ribs and sauté until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining ribs; transfer to plate.
2. Add sliced onion to pot. Sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Return ribs and any juices to pot.

3. Add the water and remaining stock ingredients. Bring to boil, skimming any foam from surface.

4. Reduce heat and simmer until ribs are very tender, skimming foam occasionally, about 2 1/2 hours.
5. Using tongs, transfer ribs to plate. Strain stock into large bowl. Chill stock until fat solidifies on top, at least 3 hours.

6. Chill the meat. Remove meat from bones; cut away excess fat. Shred meat finely, you should have about 4-5 cups of meat. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover meat and chill. Keep stock chilled.)

BORSCHT

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange beets in single layer in a baking dish; add 1/2 cup water. Cover; bake beets until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool beets. Peel and cut into small dice.

2. Remove fat from surface of stock.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add diced carrots and chopped onions and sauté 10 minutes.

4. Add cabbage and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add 5 cups beef stock, beets, potato, caraway seeds, paprika, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Simmer until cabbage and potato are tender, about 20 minutes.

5. Add the shredded meat; simmer 5 minutes. Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt and pepper as desired.

6. Ladle borscht into bowls. Top each with dollop of sour cream, fresh dill, and serve.

Recipe Notes

This soup freezes well if you find you have too much left over.

Option: make and freeze the stock and meat in containers, each divided into two portions. Then you can have one container of stock and one container of meat ready to go, and all you'll have to do is roast up half of the beets etc.

Feel free to use any cabbage you have on hand, whether red or napa etc.

You can make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of the stock.