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Pickle with pork and pearl barley

Rassolnik (pickle soup) with pork and pearl barley

A rich, hearty, aromatic soup for cold days. There are countless ways to make rassolnik. It's cooked with giblets, with mushrooms; some people add rice. This recipe sticks with the traditional pearl barley and brined cucumbers, with the broth made from pork.

katushafin

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

600

Potatoes

Pearl barley

0.75

Carrots

Onion

Pickles

Pickle brine

Tomato paste

Vegetable oil

Fresh herbs (a bunch)

Bay leaf

Peppercorns

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 24 % 6 g

Fats 28 % 7 g

Carbohydrates 48 % 12 g

130 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather the ingredients for the soup. It's best to use bone-in meat that isn't too lean — the broth will come out tastier and richer that way. For rassolnik, brined (not vinegar-pickled) cucumbers work best. They're not so easy to find these days, so use home-brined ones rather than store-bought, since those have less vinegar.
Step 2:

Rinse the pearl barley well under cold running water until the water runs clear, picking out any debris. Cover the barley with cold water and soak it for 30 minutes.
Step 3:

Put the meat in a pot with cold clean water. Use filtered or bottled water, since its taste will carry through to the soup. My pot holds 4 liters. Set the pot over medium heat.
Step 4:

Wait for the water to boil and skim off the foam that forms with a slotted spoon. If you miss this moment, the broth will turn cloudy and unattractive. Turn the heat down to its lowest setting and cover the pot. Cook the broth with the meat for 1.5 hours total.
Step 5:

Half an hour into cooking the broth, add the pearl barley, first draining off the water it was soaking in. Add salt — just a little at first so you don't oversalt, since we'll be pouring in a cup of salty brine later. Leave the broth to keep cooking, now with the barley.
Step 6:

While the broth cooks, prep the vegetables. Cut the peeled onion into small cubes.
Step 7:

Wash and peel the carrots well. Grate them on the coarse side of a grater.
Step 8:

Grate the cucumbers too. I prefer to grate them rather than chop them — it comes out both prettier and tastier.
Step 9:

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut them into medium pieces.
Step 10:

Wash the herbs and pat them dry with a paper or regular towel. Chop them.
Step 11:

Make the saute. Pour vegetable oil into a skillet. Add the onion and carrot. Saute them for a few minutes, stirring now and then.
Step 12:

Add the cucumbers to the vegetables. Pour in a cup of brine. Stir and let the vegetables stew a little. I cover the skillet and simmer them over low heat for about 10 minutes. Because they're grated, the cucumbers soften quickly.
Step 13:

Stir the tomato paste into the saute. Cook the vegetables, now uncovered, until the liquid has completely evaporated.
Step 14:

15 minutes before the broth is done, take the meat out — it will already be cooked through. Drop the potatoes into the broth. Let the meat cool a little, then cut it into small pieces. Return the meat to the broth.
Step 15:

When the potatoes are cooked — about 10 minutes after you added them — stir the saute into the soup. Bring it back to a boil and cook the soup for 5 minutes.
Step 16:

Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and chopped herbs. Bring it back to a boil once more, then turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let the soup rest for 15 minutes. Serve each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream.

We love rassolnik, especially with pearl barley. It cooks down nicely and makes the soup thick and filling. We don't care for garlic, but you can always add it to the saute along with the tomato paste.