Cooking Instructions

Follow these steps for perfect results

Ingredients

0/21 checked
6
servings
0.5 cup

dried navy beans

dried

0.75 unit

beef chuck top blade steak

cubed

6 cup

beef broth

fat-free, lower-sodium

10 unit

smoked ham hock

smoked

1 unit

bay leaf

whole

2 unit

onions

chopped

2 unit

carrots

diced

1 unit

celery stalk

diced

2 tsp

canola oil

refined

1.5 cup

diced seeded peeled tomato

diced

0.25 cup

tomato paste

canned

4 unit

beets

peeled and grated

1 unit

baking potato

peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 unit

parsnip

cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cup

green cabbage

shredded

0.5 cup

fresh dill

chopped

2 unit

garlic cloves

minced

0.25 cup

red wine vinegar

aged

0.5 tsp

salt

table

0.5 tsp

freshly ground black pepper

coarsely ground

0.5 cup

light sour cream

chilled

Step 1
~6 min

Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl.

Step 2
~6 min

Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours.

Step 3
~6 min

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Step 4
~6 min

Add beef to pan; cook 5 to 6 minutes, browning on all sides.

Step 5
~6 min

Add 1 cup broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

Step 6
~6 min

Add remaining 5 cups broth, ham hock, and bay leaf.

Step 7
~6 min

Cut 1 onion, 1 carrot, and celery stalk in half; add to soup.

Step 8
~6 min

Bring to boil over medium-high heat.

Step 9
~6 min

Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 1 hour.

Step 10
~6 min

Drain beans; add to soup.

Step 11
~6 min

Cover and simmer 40 to 50 minutes or until beef and ham hock are tender.

Step 12
~6 min

Remove ham hock to a cutting board to cool.

Step 13
~6 min

Remove and discard bay leaf, onion, carrot, and celery.

Step 14
~6 min

Strain soup through a sieve into a large bowl, reserving stock.

Step 15
~6 min

Set beef and beans aside.

Step 16
~6 min

Remove meat from ham hock, and chop; discard skin, fat, and bone.

Step 17
~6 min

Place a large zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-quart glass measure.

Step 18
~6 min

Pour stock into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top).

Step 19
~6 min

Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag.

Step 20
~6 min

Drain stock into bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.

Step 21
~6 min

Finely chop remaining onion and carrot.

Step 22
~6 min

Heat Dutch oven over medium heat.

Step 23
~6 min

Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.

Step 24
~6 min

Add onion and carrot; saute 5 minutes or until tender.

Step 25
~6 min

Add tomato and tomato paste; cook 5 minutes or until tomato breaks down.

Step 26
~6 min

Mash tomato with a wooden spoon.

Step 27
~6 min

Add stock, beets, potato, and parsnip; bring to boil over high heat.

Step 28
~6 min

Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes until potato and parsnip are tender.

Step 29
~6 min

Return beef, beans, and ham hock meat to soup.

Step 30
~6 min

Add cabbage, 6 tablespoons dill, and garlic; cook 15 to 20 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Step 31
~6 min

Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Step 32
~6 min

Serve soup with remaining 2 tablespoons dill and sour cream.

Pro Tips & Suggestions

Expert advice for the best results

Adjust the amount of sour cream to your preference.

For a vegetarian version, omit the beef and ham hock and use vegetable broth.

Borshch tastes even better the next day.

Cooking Experience

Everything you need to know before you start

Time & Preparation

Cleanup Time

20 minutes

Batch Cooking
Friendly
Make Ahead

Can be made 1-2 days in advance.

Freezable
Kid Friendly

Cooking Environment

Messiness Level
Medium
Smell Intensity
Medium
Noise Level
Low
Elder Friendly
Suitable for seniors

Plating & Presentation

Serving Suggestions

Serve with a side of rye bread or pampushky (Ukrainian garlic bread).

Top with a swirl of sour cream or yogurt.

Perfect Pairings

Food Pairings

Pampushky (Ukrainian garlic bread)
Rye bread
Salo (cured pork fat)

Drink Pairings

Cultural Heritage

Discover the story behind this recipe

Origin & Tradition

Region of Origin

Ukraine

Cultural Significance

A staple dish in Ukrainian cuisine, often associated with family gatherings and celebrations.

Style

Occasions & Celebrations

Festive Uses

Christmas
Easter
Weddings

Occasion Tags

Winter
Family dinner
Comfort food
Holiday

Popularity Score

65/100

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