There are as many correct recipes for red borscht as there are hostesses who take it to cook. Especially a lot of Ukrainian and Polish options. Borsch is cooked on kvass, with meat, fish, mushrooms, beans, turnips, apples, dumplings in the form of tiny dumplings. But most of the technological secrets associated with the main ingredient - beets.

Why borsch is losing red color

Beetroot soup with beet should be red. Everyone who sits at the table knows this. But those who have tried to cook it at least once know how quickly an almost ready soup becomes brown and unappetizing.

The color of beets, and therefore borscht, gives a unique phytonutrient betacyanin.

It is quite rare in nature, only in rhubarb, several types of cacti and flowers. Its useful properties are just off scale, the main actions are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Unfortunately, this flavonoid is very unstable, it is easily oxidized and soluble in water.

Therefore, once in a pot, beets generously share their blush with all the products and with the broth. But, at the finish line, just before the readiness, it itself becomes like a boiled cabbage, without color and taste, and the broth loses its color in a matter of minutes. Air bubbles that form in an actively boiling broth instantly destroy betacyanin.

Although the taste of borsch does not change, the dish loses its attractiveness and part of its beneficial properties.

How to make borscht red

Beetroot is a stubborn root crop. It is cooked longer than all other ingredients, so often it is laid in the pan first. This is a fatal mistake of an inexperienced mistress.

Another mistake is prolonged boiling of borsch so that all vegetables are boiled until soft.

To preserve the betacyian, the beets will have to be cooked separately, do not let it boil and spread in the last borsch. For an additional guarantee, the environment in which the beets fall, i.e. the broth, must be acidified.

Following these principles, housewives and professional chefs choose the right technological solutions. The properties of beets were taken into account in the ancient, ancient recipes.

  • One of the first tricks is to supplement the broth with beet kvass 1: 1. Kvass will add piquancy, sourness and sweetness to the taste at the same time, while maintaining the color of beets. This ancient technique can also be used in modern kitchens. Beets, drenched in cold water, aged in a warm room for eight days. Thanks to the work of the sugars contained in it and the yeast flying in the air, the process does not require intervention. In the old days, borsch was cooked almost daily and kvass was constantly updated. A modern housewife can freeze it in portioned packets and, as necessary, add it to the broth during cooking or to the finished borsch with beets.
  • An acidic environment can be created using pickled beets or sauerkraut. In winter, this technique is very popular. Pre-workpieces are slightly stewed or fried to make the vegetables softer.
  • You can acidify the broth with vinegar or lemon juice.
  • Soft acid is found in tomatoes; they are added in a pureed form to the dishes where beets are prepared.

To make the beets soft and edible, suitable for adding to the finished borsch, it:

  • cut into strips and stew in a small amount of water, not allowing to boil;
  • Passer alone or together with other vegetables;
  • bake in the oven as a whole, cut and put in the soup before cooking;
  • separately cooked whole or not in their uniforms, and grated in a soup to give its color.

Often, beets are divided into two parts: one is cooked in borsch, the other is cooked separately and added before readiness. Adding a small amount of sugar to the stewed or sauteed beets, or directly to the broth also helps maintain color.

The cookbooks of the Soviet era recommend the use of special varieties of vegetables with saturated color for borsch: “Kuban borsch” and maroon, salad.

Classic red beetroot and cabbage

How to cook red borsch using technological tricks, and get a completely successful result? First of all, you need to observe a sense of proportion and often try the broth for the content of salt, sugar and acid.

Ingredients:

  • rich meat broth;
  • beet;
  • cabbage;
  • potatoes;
  • carrot;
  • onion;
  • tomato paste;
  • garlic;
  • vinegar;
  • sugar;
  • salt;
  • a mixture of peppers and bay leaf to taste.

Beets are an important ingredient, but not the main one. The number of vegetables should be approximately the same. Excess beets can ruin the taste of the dish.

  1. Prepare a dressing for borscht in advance: sauté carrots, onions and beets. Add salt and sugar to taste. Season with tomato paste and remove from heat.
  2. Add chopped cabbage to the broth. After 5 - 7 minutes - potatoes.
  3. When the vegetables are ready, pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar. It is better to use not alcohol, but wine or apple.
  4. Put dressing, add crushed garlic, pepper and bay leaf.
  5. Remove immediately from heat and leave to insist for 15 - 20 minutes.
  6. Borsch, like all cabbage soups, tastes better the next day. An important point: it needs to be heated in small portions, avoiding boiling. Otherwise, with such difficulty, the resulting color will disappear along with the first bubbles.

Cooking in Ukrainian

Real Ukrainian borsch is akin to a work of art. The three whales on which it is based are a juicy beet, a rich broth and fat.

Other ingredients:

  • cabbage;
  • potatoes;
  • beans;
  • Tomatoes
  • carrot;
  • onion;
  • garlic;
  • salt;
  • sugar;
  • pepper.

The best borscht is obtained in the summer, when the garden is full of fresh vegetables and herbs.

  1. Beets are cooked separately - stewed, fried or baked. Here are the copyright options.
  2. Tomatoes need to be scalded and mashed. Peel must be removed. Pour tomato puree into beets. Add salt and sugar.
  3. Stew together carrots and onions. If desired, add bell pepper.
  4. Young milk beans do not require soaking, but it is cooked longer than other vegetables.
  5. One potato can be put whole. When it boils, it is mashed and mashed and returned to the broth - so it will turn out thicker and denser.
  6. When beans, cabbage and potatoes are cooked in the broth, put the passerovka in the borsch, pour the beet kvass or vinegar, and only after that add the beets.
  7. Borsch immediately removed from the fire.
  8. Garlic and lard are turned into a smoothie with a blender. Previously, this refueling was carefully pounded in a mortar. It can be spread on bread and served separately. However, borsch requires a final chord - a couple of spoons of lard with garlic should slowly melt in a pan, combining and softening all shades of taste. After half an hour, the borsch can be seasoned with greens, sour cream and served with traditional donuts.

Delicious first course with beef

It is best to cook red borscht on beef broth with sugar bone.

 

The broth will turn out not very greasy, but strong and fragrant. Just such a character is suitable for borscht.

Ingredients:

  • beef on the bone, for example, ribs;
  • beets and other vegetables to taste;
  • salt, sugar, wine vinegar;
  • garlic.

Beef broth will require special herbs - lovage, tarragon and thyme.

  1. Beef broth for borsch is cooked in accordance with all the rules: meat is loaded into cold water, the foam that has risen when boiling is removed. The broth slowly languishes for about 2 - 2.5 hours, it should not boil with a key. The finished broth needs to be filtered so that there are no small seeds left in it. Chop the meat and return to the pan.
  2. Separately prepare beetroot, carrot and onion dressing. Be sure to try it on salt and sugar before laying in borsch.
  3. Cook cabbage and potatoes until cooked. After the broth is acidified with vinegar, nothing will fall apart in it.
  4. Before serving, put a dressing in borsch. Try the broth again, if necessary, at this stage the taste can be adjusted.
  5. Season with garlic and herbs. Remove the pan from the stove.

Red borsch on chicken stock

On chicken stock you can cook light borscht, almost dietary.

Ingredients:

  • chicken;
  • beets and other vegetables;
  • salt, sugar, lemon;
  • garlic.

From herbs, basil, marjoram and oregano are suitable for tender chicken meat.

  1. Broiler chicken is cooked no more than an hour, be sure to remove the foam. The layer will have to be cooked for 2 to 3 hours, but it will give more flavor and nutrients, without turning into a rag. Usually broth is recommended to filter. Salt it before readiness and be sure to try it. All the salt can be put in borsch dressing, and the broth does not salt at all.
  2. Cabbage and potatoes are added to the meat pan. To reduce the calorie content of a dish, you can not put potatoes or replace it with a young turnip, as Lithuanians and Ukrainians do.
  3. Separately, cook beets, season with salt and sugar. Tomatoes can not be added to this version of borsch.
  4. Sauté carrots and onions.
  5. Broth acidify with lemon juice.
  6. Put borsch dressing.
  7. Add chopped garlic and herbs.
  8. Leave the soup to steam under the lid, removing from heat.

Lenten Recipe

Bright aromatic soup diversifies the menu during the fasting period, and beets rich in iron and vitamins support the body.

Ingredients:

  • beets and other vegetables;
  • tomato puree or pasta;
  • lemon juice;
  • sugar;
  • salt;
  • garlic;
  • bay leaf and a mixture of peppers.

To make lean borscht more nutritious, you can add protein-rich beans.

Dried beans should be soaked in cold water the night before.

  1. Cut the beets into strips, simmer in a small amount of water until soft.Before being ready, add salt, sugar, and tomato puree to it.
  2. Pass the carrots, colored peppers and onions, avoiding the formation of a crust.
  3. Put beans, cabbage and potatoes in a pan. Beans are boiled longer, so vegetables are laid at a small interval.
  4. When all the vegetables have been cooked, lay out the sauté and acidify the broth.
  5. Transfer the beets to the pan and remove from heat.
  6. Season with garlic and herbs. Let rest under the lid for a quarter of an hour.

How to make red cold borsch

The summer version is prepared extremely quickly, pleases with a small number of calories and a fresh taste.

Ingredients:

  • beet;
  • potatoes (for those who are not on a diet);
  • eggs
  • fresh cucumbers;
  • fresh greens;
  • lemon juice;
  • sugar;
  • salt;
  • sour cream.

Beetroot broth and dressing from cucumbers and greens are separately prepared. To make the dish more satisfying, you can cut lean boiled meat, sausage, fish.

  1. For a decoction, cut the beets into strips or grate.
  2. Season boiling water with salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste. Carefully lay out the beets. Depending on the slices, simmer it without boiling for 5 to 20 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.
  3. Boil potatoes and eggs separately. Cool and clean. Cut into small pieces or large slices. In Lithuania, hot boiled potatoes with herbs are served separately to cold borsch.
  4. Cut cucumbers and greens, arrange on plates.
  5. Pour in beetroot broth and season with sour cream.

Cold or hot borsch always looks great on the table. If the hostess picked the right proportions of salt, sugar and acidity, managed to preserve the luxurious burgundy color of the broth, then the success of the dinner is guaranteed.

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