- 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
- 2 litres (8 cups) water
- 1.5kg beef spare rib or top rib (or other meat on the bone suitable for soups)
- 4 fresh beetroot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 850g tin whole beetroot, grated
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes
- 400g tin diced tomatoes
- 410g tin tomato puree
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cabbage, shredded
| - Put the stock and water into a large stockpot. Add the meat and bring to the boil, skimming the surface to remove the scum
- Add the fresh and tinned beetroot, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and tomato puree and boil for 1 hour, or until the meat is just about falling off the bone
- Add the lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and sugar to balance the flavours
- Add the cabbage and simmer for at least another 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is very soft
- Remove the meat from the saucepan. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones
- Shred the meat with a fork and return it to the pan. Taste again and adjust the seasoning and lemon juice if necessary
- Let the borscht cool overnight. The next day, skim off any fat and reheat to serve
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