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Kuban borscht in meat broth

Kuban Borscht with Pork Broth

A hearty, fragrant, and truly delicious soup! There are many recipes for Kuban borscht, and every cook adds a personal touch. What stays the same is that it's made only from fresh vegetables (no sauerkraut) and without any souring agents like vinegar or lemon juice.

Julia M.

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Pork

500

Potatoes

Carrot

Onion

Tomatoes

Beet

Tomato paste

Water

Cabbage

200

Lard

Garlic

Salt

Dry spices

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 25 % 2 g

Fats 38 % 3 g

Carbohydrates 38 % 3 g

49 kcal

GI: 75 / 0 / 25

Cooking method

Step 1:

For the borscht, use bone-in pork. Cover it with water, set it over the heat, and bring to a boil. Foam will rise as it heats — skim it off. Simmer the meat over medium heat for about an hour, until tender.
Step 2:

You can simply cut the cooked meat into pieces. I always pull it off the bone and strain the broth.
Step 3:

Cut the peeled potatoes and add them to the pot right after the cabbage.
Step 4:

Shred the fresh cabbage and drop it into the boiling broth.
Step 5:

While the vegetables cook, peel the onion and carrot. Finely chop the onion, grate the carrot on the coarse side of a box grater, and sauté them together in a hot skillet with a little vegetable oil.
Step 6:

Then add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste and cook everything together for 3–5 minutes. Add this sauté to the pot.
Step 7:

Kuban borscht is traditionally made with a striped, light-veined beet. Peel a medium beet, grate it coarsely, and sauté it. Add it to the pot, bring to a boil, and turn off the heat.
Step 8:

Chop the lard and peel the garlic, then grind them together in a mortar (or mince very finely with a knife). Stir this into the borscht.
Step 9:

Cover the finished borscht and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the brighter and richer the flavor — it's especially good a day or two after cooking. One of the main things that sets Kuban borscht apart from the Moscow or Ukrainian versions is its color: instead of the deep red you'd expect, it has a warmer, reddish-orange tone. Serve it topped with fresh herbs and sour cream. Enjoy!

Kuban borscht inherited its makeup from Ukrainian borscht, keeping many of its traits while picking up a few all its own. It's always cooked thick — thick enough, as they say, that a spoon will stand up in it.