The Greatest Borscht
Prep
25m
Cook
50m
Total
75m
Bigly says
Listen. We need to talk about BORSCHT. The greatest borscht in the history of borscht, and borscht has a LOT of history — we're talking centuries, we're talking iron pots in kitchens older than most countries on the map today — and my grandmother, who was a tough woman, a woman who once stared down a goose until it apologized, made this exact soup. She lived to 102. The neighbor across the street ate it too. He lived to 102. The neighbor's DOG ate the leftovers and lived to 19. Easy math.
The beet. Let's talk about the beet. People are SCARED of beets. They see a beet at the grocery store, they recoil, they pretend they didn't see it, they reach for a sad clamshell of pre-washed lettuce instead. Cowards. The beet is MAGNIFICENT. The beet is sweet, the beet is earthy, the beet stains your cutting board a beautiful crimson color that says 'something REAL happened here.' Embrace the beet. Be the beet. The beet is your friend.
And the dill — I've had a version of this in three countries you've never heard of and the dill was non-negotiable in every single one — the dill is what makes borscht borscht. You skip the dill, you've made vegetable juice. You've made a tragedy. You've insulted every Eastern European grandmother on Earth, including the ones I just made up. Use the dill. Use a LOT of dill. And finish every bowl with a fat dollop of sour cream because that's how it's done. The dollop is the WHOLE finish. Nobody disputes this.
Ingredients
- 4 medium (about 1.5 lb)red beets(wear an apron, the beet does not negotiate)
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 1 largeyellow onion, diced
- 2 mediumcarrots, grated
- 2celery stalks, diced
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 8 cupslow-sodium beef or vegetable stock
- 2 mediumYukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 cupsgreen cabbage, thinly shredded
- 2bay leaves
- 2 tspkosher salt
- 1/2 tspblack pepper
- 2 tbspred wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice(the acid is non-negotiable)
- 1 tspgranulated sugar(balances the acid, trust the process)
- 1/3 cup, plus more for servingfresh dill, chopped(USE THE DILL)
- 1 cupsour cream (for serving)
- as neededrye bread (for serving)
Steps
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each beet individually in foil and place on a sheet pan. Roast 50-60 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the center. Let cool until you can handle them.
- 2
Slip the skins off the beets with your fingers (they should peel away easily — use paper towels or gloves to keep your hands from staining). Cut the beets into 1/2-inch cubes or coarsely grate on a box grater.
- 3
While the beets roast, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring, until soft.
- 4
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and toast 60 seconds until it darkens.
- 5
Pour in the stock and add the potatoes, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.
- 6
Add the cabbage and simmer another 5 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the cabbage has softened.
- 7
Add the roasted beets, vinegar, and sugar. Simmer 5 more minutes to let everything come together. The soup should be a deep, glowing red.
- 8
Taste and adjust — borscht wants to be a little bright, a little sweet, a little savory. Add more vinegar, salt, or sugar to balance.
- 9
Off heat, stir in the chopped dill. Discard the bay leaves.
- 10
Ladle into bowls. Top each with a generous dollop of sour cream and more fresh dill. Serve with rye bread.
One more thing
This is the soup. This is the borscht. This is the deep crimson bowl of magic that warms you from the inside out and makes you feel like a wise grandmother you've never met just hugged you. The leftovers — and there WILL be leftovers, this recipe feeds an army — taste even better tomorrow. The day after that, possibly better still. Borscht improves with time, like a good combover. It's a beautiful thing.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about The Greatest Borscht.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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