The water is poured into a large pot that can hold 5 or more liters and heated, it should not boil. During this time, peel the beetroot. Put the meat in the hot water, bring to the boil and switch to medium heat so that the stock can simmer. Immediately skim off the foam on the water surface and dispose of it. Add salt to taste and the peeled beetroot and simmer for an hour.
In the meantime, peel the potatoes and cut them into strips (index finger length and width). Until use, the strips can be placed in cold water to keep them fresh.
Halve the carrots lengthways and cut into thin strips. Quarter each onion, bell pepper and tomato and cut into slices.
Heat the oil in a pan. First fry the onions briefly and then add peppers, carrots and tomatoes. Season this with a little salt and pepper and fry covered until the vegetables simmer in their own juice. Stir again and again.
Now cut the quarter of white cabbage into finger-length slices.
Now the one hour of cooking time for the soup should have passed and you add the fried vegetables from the pan, the potatoes, the cabbage, the bay leaves and the pepper or allspice grains to the soup pot. Cover the soup and let it simmer for another hour.
After this hour, take out the beetroot and grate it on a large grater and add the grated or pressed garlic. Half a lemon is squeezed out over the beetroot and left on a plate for a moment. Then you take out the meat, separate it from the bone and cut it into small pieces. Then you put everything, beetroot, garlic, lemon juice and meat back into the soup pot and stir it well. You can taste again and, if necessary, season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot with a lid and turn off the stove.
When the borscht is no longer too hot, you can serve it - but it tastes even more delicious on the second day.
Borscht should be filled into deep plates (it is most beautiful in white ones). A large tablespoon of sour cream is placed on top in the middle and fresh herbs, parsley or dill can be sprinkled on top. Mix with the soup.
Fresh brown bread is served with it, coated with butter or sour cream and sprinkled with salt.
First you take a glass of vodka, then you smell the bread, bite into it and begin to eat the borscht.