Sour Shchi - Siberian Cabbage Soup

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1. 1Step 1: Heat a large pot on medium-low in preparation to sear beef shank. Using a paper towel, pat off any moisture off the meat. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pot and sear the beef shank on all sides. Once it develops a golden-brown crust, flip and sear the other side.
2. 2Step 2: Add water, carrot, onion, bay leaf, and black peppercorn to the pot and bring to a boil for 15 minutes. With a spoon, remove/skim any impurities and foam that rise to the surface.
3. 3Step 3: Lower the heat to a simmer, continually skimming and adding water to keep a consistent water level for at least 2 hours.
4. 4Step 4: Once the 2-hour mark hits, remove any meat or bone pieces and place them to the side. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables and spices. Pick off meat from the bones to add to your shchi and place to the side.
5. 5Step 5: Rinse the vegetables and pat dry with a paper towel. Prepare vegetables using your favorite knife.
6. 6Step 6: If the stock was made and there's the beef shank, skip this step. Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot to high heat. Add canola or vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Add ground beef and sear on one side until crispy, about 1-2 minutes, flip the ground beef and sear the other side for an additional 1 minute. Break up the ground beef and cook until no pink remains, about 3-5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, remove from pan, and reserve in a large bowl.
7. 7Step 7: Reduce heat in the Dutch oven or soup pot to medium-high heat. Pour off any excess oil until 1 tablespoon remains (if you skipped the previous step, just add 1 tablespoon oil). Add grated carrots, julienned onion, shredded cabbage, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are softened and garlic is aromatic. Remove vegetables from the pot to a large bowl.
8. 8Step 8: In the now-empty Dutch oven or large soup pot, add the sauerkraut and tomato paste. Cook over medium-low heat until sauerkraut softens and tomato paste becomes a deep burgundy color.
9. 9Step 9: Add the par-cooked vegetables back into the pot with the caramelized sauerkraut and tomato paste. Stir in salt, pepper, and flour until evenly mixed. While stirring to prevent any clumps, stir in the broth.
10. 10Step 10: Add sliced mushrooms, small dice potatoes, and beef shank pieces into the pot and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, or sauerkraut juice if desired.
11. 11Step 11: Ladle shchi into a bowl and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill. Serve alongside a slice of toasted rye for dippin'! Enjoy!