A celebration of bold colour and deep, slow-developed flavour, this Eastern European-inspired soup has a richness that feels both hearty and vibrant.
It is the kind of generous dish that turns a cold day into a special occasion.
Did you know?
Serve beef borscht soup with a generous dollop of sour cream, cracked black pepper and dill.
1
To start prepare your beef borscht soup, heat a large stockpot over high heat and add oil to start
2
Season ribs with salt then add to the pot and sear on all sides until dark brown (you may need to do this in 2 batches, depending on the size of your pot).
3
Remove ribs and reserve, pour any excess oil out of the pot. Allow to cool slightly.
4
Add onions and cook over medium heat, add vinegar and gently scrape the solids from the bottom of the pan.
5
Cook onions until soft and caramelised.
6
Add beetroots, chicken stock, concentrated beef stock and 2L water to the pot. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to a simmer then cook about an hour until beets are soft but still some resistance when a knife is poked in.
7
Remove the beets and reserve.
8
Add ribs and tomatoes, bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, until the meat is super soft and falling off the bone (about 4-5 hours).
9
When the ribs are ready, remove them from the soup and set aside. Allow soup to cool slightly before blending with the beetroot until very smooth.
10
Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11
Remove meat from bones and shred/cut to bite sized pieces. Discard bones and fat.
12
Add meat back to the soup and cook for a further 5-10 mins until the meat is heated through. Serve beef borscht soup with a generous dollop of sour cream, cracked black pepper and dill.
