Borscht with Pork Ribs

We select the meatier pork ribs. Place them in a pot (I use a 5-liter one), cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Do you need to discard the first water when making the broth? It is highly recommended. If the pork is not from a home-raised source but from an industrial farm, it's better to get rid of the first broth. If you choose to discard the first broth, I suggest saving time. Start two pots on the stove at once, one for boiling the ribs, and the other with just water. Later, about 10-15 minutes after the water starts boiling in the pot with the ribs, transfer the ribs to the pot with clean water, and continue with other steps. If you are confident in the quality of the meat, removing the scum might be sufficient. Nevertheless, discarding the first broth will result in a richer and more flavorful broth.

The ribs are still cooking, so let's prepare the vegetables. Peel the potatoes, onion, carrot, and beetroot. Finely chop the onion, grate the carrot. Start by sautéing the chopped onion in oil. Then add the grated carrot and sauté them together, stirring, for about 5 minutes.

After sautéing the onion and carrot until they are soft, add the grated beetroot, and sauté them together for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The beetroot can be either grated or chopped, and this depends on personal preference. Some prefer to chop it into small cubes, while others, like me, prefer to grate it.

Add the diced potatoes to the meat. Once it starts boiling, you can add 1 tsp of salt. You can take out the cooked meat from the broth and cut it into more convenient portions, or you can leave it as it is if you prefer.

Shred the cabbage.

Add the cabbage to the pot. I add it about 10 minutes after adding the potatoes. If you have a potato variety that cooks quickly, add both the potatoes and cabbage to our future borscht simultaneously.

Add tomato paste, a pinch of salt, and sugar to the sautéed vegetables. You can add sugar towards the end when adjusting the taste. Perhaps the beet will be very sweet, and you may not need sugar in your opinion. Stir and continue sautéing on low heat for 5-7 minutes.

Add lemon juice to the sautéed mixture. This step is what gives the borscht its rich red color. You can use vinegar as a substitute for lemon juice. Lemon juice or another acid can be added either when adding tomato paste or afterwards.

Transfer the prepared dressing to the saucepan and mix well. Cook for 5-10 minutes.

5 minutes before it's ready, add finely chopped garlic, fresh herbs, salt, and black ground pepper. You can add herbs directly to the soup or use them as a garnish in individual bowls. Additionally, you can use 1-2 bay leaves and a pinch of ground cloves if desired. Remember to be careful with the spices, as you can always adjust the flavor at the end. Borscht tends to become more flavorful the next day, and the flavors become more pronounced.

Cover the finished borscht with a lid and let it steep for at least 10-15 minutes, preferably 30 minutes.

The most delicious red borscht is ready!