Borscht with meat

Place the Beef with Bone in a large stockpot and cover with Water. Add a couple of Bay Leaves and a teaspoon of whole Black Peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil, skim off any foam, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1.5–2 hours until the meat is tender.

Remove the meat from the pot, strain the broth into a clean pot and discard the bones and bay leaves; reserve the broth. When the meat is cool enough to handle, shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.

While the stock simmers (or during the simmering break), peel and grate the Beets and Carrot, finely chop the Onion, cube the Potatoes and thinly shred the White Cabbage.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of Sunflower Oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and carrot until softened, then add the grated beets and cook until they begin to soften.

Stir in the Tomato Paste and cook another minute, then add a splash of White Vinegar and a teaspoon of Sugar to brighten and set the beet color. Simmer the vegetable mixture for 5–8 minutes so the flavors meld.

Return the strained broth to a gentle boil and add the cubed potatoes. Cook for 5–7 minutes, then add the shredded cabbage and the sautéed beet mixture. Simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 10–12 minutes.

Season the soup with Salt to taste and freshly ground Black Pepper. Add the shredded beef back into the pot to warm through.

Crush or finely mince the Garlic Cloves and stir into the borscht a minute before you finish cooking, or add raw if you prefer a sharper garlic note.

Turn off the heat and let the soup rest a few minutes to settle. Serve hot, garnished with a generous spoonful of Sour Cream and a sprinkle of chopped Dill.