- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 100 min
- Total time
- 135 min
- Yield
- 6-8 generous servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Quick summary
“Solyanka is a traditional Russian soup with a hearty, distinctive profile, famous for the balance between smoked meats and sour notes. Pickles, capers, and black olives set the characteristic tone for this nutritious dish.”
What you need to know
- The initial pressure cooking of the beef chuck produces a dense base broth rich in collagen and flavor.
- The slow sauté of onion and carrot with concentrated tomato paste builds the intense reddish base.
- The pickle brine water combined with capers brings the essential acidic contrast to the stew.
Ingredients
Main
- grams Beef shank
- grams Smoked sausage (frankfurter type)
- grams Smoked ham or diced bacon
- liters Beef broth (preferably homemade)
- unit Large onion
- unit Medium carrot
- grams Canned peeled tomatoes (chopped)
- unidades médias Dill pickles, chopped
- ml Cucumber juice (from the pickle)
- grams Pitted black olives, sliced
- tablespoons Capers, drained
- tablespoons Concentrated tomato paste
- tablespoons Vegetable oil
- units Bay leaves
- Black pepper
- Salt
- unit Lime (for serving)
- Sour cream or smetana (for serving)
- Fresh dill, chopped (for serving)
Instructions
Principal
- Start by cooking the beef shank: in a pressure cooker, cover the beef shank with water and cook for about 40 minutes after the pressure starts. Reserve the meat and strain the broth, which will be used later. This step ensures a rich and tasty base for the soup. The professional technique is: cook the meat separately for a cleaner and more flavorful broth.
- While the meat cooks, prepare the other ingredients. Finely chop the onion and carrot. Cut the smoked sausage into rounds and the ham or bacon into small cubes. Chop the pickles into cubes and prepare the olives and capers. Prior organization is crucial for the cooking flow. The secret to this recipe is: the quality of the ingredients.
- In a large, deep pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the ham or bacon and fry until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside. In the same fat, add the sausage slices and fry until lightly golden. Remove and set aside. This process of browning the meats adds depth of flavor. In simple terms: build flavor in layers.
- In the same pan, add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, for about 5-7 minutes. Next, add the carrot and sauté for another 5 minutes, until softened. This sauté is the aromatic base of Solyanka. Avoid burning them so as not to bitter the soup. O erro mais comum é: hurry this step.
- Add the tomato paste and chopped peeled tomatoes to the pan with the onion and carrot. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the tomato paste darkens. This intensifies the tomato flavor, a fundamental step. The most important tip is: cook the tomato paste to remove the metallic taste and enhance the sweetness.
- Add the cooked and shredded (or cubed) beef muscle, the sausage, and the reserved ham to the pot. Pour in the strained beef broth, bay leaves, chopped pickled cucumbers, and the pickle juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat, cooking on low heat for at least 30-40 minutes. This time allows the flavors to meld perfectly.
- In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the sliced olives and capers. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper, remembering that the pickles and olives already contribute plenty of salinity. The Solyanka should have a sweet-sour and salty balance. The secret to this recipe is: balance the acidic and salty elements.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the Solyanka very hot in deep plates. Garnish generously with a slice of lemon, a dollop of sour cream (or smetana), and fresh chopped dill. These additions are essential for the complete Solyanka experience, adding freshness and creaminess. Enjoy this culinary masterpiece.
Chef's tips
- Strain the beef shank broth through a fine-mesh sieve to obtain a clear liquid without residue.
- Brown the bacon cubes and sliced sausage well before adding to the stew to enhance the smoky notes.
- Serve the soup very hot with a spoonful of cold sour cream in the center for immediate thermal contrast.
Variations
- Add white cabbage sliced into thin strips in the last 15 minutes to add crunchy vegetable volume.
- Add a touch of allspice berries and extra bay leaves to accentuate the aroma of the broth.
- Finish the individual dish with thin slices of lemon and fresh sprigs of freshly chopped dill.
Substitutions
- Beef chuck can be substituted with shoulder steak, boneless beef short ribs, or brisket.
- The smoked frankfurter sausage can be swapped for smoked calabresa sausage in thin slices.
- Sour cream can be prepared by mixing plain Greek yogurt with a few drops of lemon juice.
How to store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This soup traditionally tastes better on the second day after the flavors meld; reheat over low heat until it reaches a gentle boil.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the broth and meats without the sour cream and fresh lemon for up to 2 months in closed containers. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the pan, finishing with the fresh garnishes in the bowl.
What to serve with
Serve with rye bread or toasted dark cornbread with butter and a dollop of strong dark mustard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the traditional 'braising' process in Slavic cuisine?
It is the prolonged sauté of onion, carrot, concentrated tomato paste, and pickles in the fat of the meats. This process caramelizes the sugars and gives the classic dark ruby color of the soup.
Why is beef shank the most recommended meat cut?
The muscle has a high connective tissue content. When pressure cooked for 40 minutes, this collagen dissolves into the liquid, creating a gelatinous broth with a velvety texture.
What is the ideal type of pickling cucumber for this traditional soup?
Use dill pickles in a brine with salt and dill, avoiding overly sweet preserves. The brine juice is also essential to give the correct saline acidity of the solyanka.
How to control the salt content in a recipe with so many cured meats?
Do not add salt at the beginning of the preparation. The sausage, bacon, olives, pickle brine, and capers already provide abundant sodium. Taste the broth in the final 10 minutes and adjust the sea salt only if necessary.
