Cook pearl barley separately
When cooking, pearl barley give off a lot of starch. Separate cooking keeps the beef broth clearer and prevents a brothy soup.
Russian Recipe
Rassolnik
Graupen are precooked separately, so that the broth remains clearer. Salt cucumbers and brine only come to the almost soft potatoes, because acid prolongs their cooking time.
Total time
2 hr 15 min
Calories
480 kcal
Servings
6 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Russian cucumber soup with beef and pearl barley
Rassolnik gets its name from rassol, the spicy brine of fermented salt cucumbers. The soup is said to be sour and strong, but not aggressively salty. Therefore cucumbers, brine and additional salt are only matched towards the end. This everyday-suitable Leningrad species combines beef broth, pearl barley, potatoes and root vegetables. sour cream and Dill set a fresh counterpoint when serving.
Lunch
One-Pot Recipes
Dinner
Meat
Recipe
Rassolnik
Rassolnik is a Russian beef soup with pearl barley, potatoes, root vegetables, salt cucumbers and cucumber brine that tastes savoury and finely sour.
Ingredients
6 servings
Method
-
1
Boil beef broth
Boil beef slowly with cold water and skim thoroughly. Add bay leaf and pepper and let simmer gently for 70 to 80 minutes.
-
2
Cook pearl barley separately
Cook pearl barley in plenty of fresh water for 25 to 30 minutes, drain and rinse briefly with hot water.
-
3
Prepare meat and broth
Remove meat and pour broth through a fine sieve. Cut the slightly cooled meat into bite-sized pieces.
-
4
Sweat on root vegetables
Heat oil in a large pot. Heat onion, carrot and celery in it for 7 minutes without tanning heavily.
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5
Precook potatoes
Pour in about 2 litres of broth, boil and cook potatoes for 10 to 12 minutes. They should be almost soft before the acidic ingredients are added.
-
6
Cucumbers stew separately
Sauté salt cucumbers in a pan for 8 minutes with a small ladleful of broth. This makes them softer and spread their aroma evenly.
-
7
Finish soup
Add cucumbers, pearl barley, meat and first 100 ml of brine to the pot. Simmer quietly for 8 minutes and then season with more brine and little salt.
-
8
Arrange
Fill Rassolnik in bowls and serve with sour cream and plenty of dill. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before eating so that the aromas combine.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Rassolnik
Gradually dose brine
Salt and acidity differ depending on the cucumber. First add a part and try the soup again after a short cooking.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace beef with chicken legs and cook the broth for about 45 minutes. Dissolve meat before giving back skin and bone.
Use strong mushroom broth and add 300 g of fried mushrooms. Pearl barley, potatoes, cucumbers and brine remain unchanged.
Nutrition per serving
480kcal
46.0 gCarbohydrates
32.0 gProtein
19.0 gFat
Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Rassolnik
Fermented salt cucumbers in brine are ideal. Sweet and sour cucumbers change the taste clearly and do not provide a suitable brine.
Acid can slow down softening. Therefore, cook potatoes almost completely before salt cucumbers and cucumbers come into the pot.
Soaking is not mandatory for pearl barley. Thorough rinsing and separate pre-cooking, however, improve the texture and clarity of the soup.
Yes. The soup often tastes more balanced after a night. Pearl barley continue to swell, so when warming up possibly add some broth.
The cucumber acid should be clear, but not stinging. sour cream softens it while serving; stir in additional brine only in small amounts.
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