Borscht is one of the most iconic soups in Eastern European cuisine — celebrated for its vivid crimson colour, its earthy sweetness from beets, and its extraordinary depth of flavour. But for those encountering this legendary dish for the first time, a natural question arises: what meat is used in borscht? The answer is more nuanced than you might expect, and understanding it opens a window into the rich culinary traditions of Ukraine, Russia, Poland, and beyond.
The Traditional Choice: Beef
Why Bone-In Cuts Are Essential
In the most authentic and widely respected versions of borscht — particularly Ukrainian borscht, which is broadly considered the definitive preparation — beef is the traditional meat of choice. More specifically, bone-in cuts such as beef short ribs, beef chuck on the bone, or marrow bones are preferred over boneless alternatives. The reason is the bones themselves: during the long, slow simmering process, they release collagen, gelatin, and marrow into the liquid, creating a broth of extraordinary richness, body, and depth that boneless beef simply cannot replicate.
How Long to Simmer the Beef
The beef is typically placed in cold water at the start of cooking — not boiling water, which causes the proteins to seize rapidly and clouds the broth. Brought slowly to temperature and simmered gently for 90 minutes to two hours, the meat becomes completely tender and nearly falling off the bone. The broth that results from this process is the structural foundation of the entire soup: deeply savoury, slightly gelatinous, and packed with the complex flavours that only slow-cooked bone broth can deliver. The meat is then removed, shredded from the bones, and added back into the finished soup.
Pork: A Popular and Flavourful Alternative
Smoked Pork and Its Effect on Borscht
In Polish, Slovak, and many Central European variations of borscht, pork is used instead of — or alongside — beef. Pork ribs, smoked pork hock, or smoked pork belly are the most common choices. Smoked pork introduces a wonderful additional dimension to the soup: a gentle, savoury smokiness that weaves through the earthy beet flavour and creates a more complex overall profile. If you have ever eaten a bowl of borscht and noticed a faint, almost bacony undertone beneath the vegetable flavours, smoked pork was almost certainly responsible.
Fresh Pork vs. Smoked Pork
Fresh pork — particularly pork ribs — produces a sweeter, milder broth than beef, while smoked pork adds boldness and depth. Many experienced borscht cooks use a combination: fresh pork bones for the broth’s body and a piece of smoked pork for flavour complexity. This layered approach to building the broth is one of the hallmarks of truly great borscht.
Chicken Borscht: A Lighter Variation
When to Choose Chicken
Chicken borscht is a lighter, more delicate version of the soup that is particularly popular in some Ukrainian and Belarusian households, especially in warmer months or when a less heavy meal is desired. Using a whole chicken or chicken pieces on the bone, this version produces a cleaner, less fatty broth while still delivering ample flavour. The resulting soup tends to be more golden in colour before the beets are added — a warm amber rather than the deep, brooding crimson of the beef version — and it carries a fresher, more delicate flavour profile.
Vegetarian and Vegan Borscht
The Meatless Tradition
Not all borscht contains meat, and the vegetarian version is not merely an accommodation — it is a tradition in its own right. In Orthodox Christian communities across Eastern Europe, strict fasting periods prohibit meat and dairy, and borscht without meat is a staple of these periods. A well-made vegetarian borscht relies on a deeply flavoured vegetable broth, often built with mushrooms, onions, and root vegetables, augmented by beans or lentils for protein and body. The beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes provide such robust flavour that the absence of meat is rarely noticed.
What Stays the Same: The Role of Beets
The Non-Negotiable Ingredient
Regardless of which meat — or no meat — appears in the pot, beets are the absolute non-negotiable ingredient in borscht. They provide the soup’s unmistakable deep crimson colour, its characteristic earthy sweetness, and a significant portion of its nutritional value. Beets are rich in dietary nitrates, folate, and antioxidants, making borscht a genuinely nutritious meal in addition to a deeply satisfying one. Critically, an acid — lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or pickle brine — must be added when cooking the beets to preserve their vibrant colour. Without acid, the pigments in beets break down and the soup turns a murky, unappetising brownish-purple.
How to Serve Authentic Borscht
No bowl of borscht is complete without its traditional accompaniments. A generous spoonful of smetana (thick Eastern European sour cream) is stirred into the soup at the table, softening the acidity of the beets and adding creamy richness. Fresh dill and chopped green onions scattered on top add brightness and herbal freshness. A thick slice of dark rye bread on the side provides the perfect vehicle for soaking up every last drop of the extraordinary broth.
At Edelweiss Restaurant in Englishtown, NJ, our Ukrainian Borscht Soup is prepared fresh using traditional techniques, quality ingredients, and a recipe that honours the authentic Eastern European approach. View our menu and see what else our kitchen has to offer.
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