Ingredients:

beef soup bones or short ribs
1 gallon water
1 tablespoon pickling spice
trim from the following vegetables
8 to 10 garlic cloves

1 large potato
1 onion
1/2 cup rice [an unusual variation; optional]

2 carrots, diced
2 beets, peeled and shredded
1turnip
1 parsnip
2 carrots
2 cups celery
1 / 2 cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons caraway seed

1 pound (16 ounces can) tomatoes or 1 small can of tomato paste

sour cream
allspice or cinnamon
fresh dill

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Instructions:

I brown the soup bones with vegetable trimings, garlic cloves and the pickling spice.

Simmer the bones and vegetable trim in about 1 gallon of water.	Simmer 3 to 4 hours then strain into a large bowl, soup pot or glass container. Separate the beef , and toss the vegetable trim.	When the beef cools separate from the bones and take any peeling left on the garlic.
Chop the beef and garlic up. Put the broth in a soup pot and add the meat and garlic.	Add the potatoes, onions and rice and	Bring pot to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.

You can either shred the vegetables or chop. I love the texture of the shredded vegetables.	I like using a mandoline but you can use just an old fashione hand grater as well.	Add the vegetables to the soup and cook for 30 to 40 minutes till tender.
Meanwhile chop the cabbage into shreds by cutting only in one direction.	Add the cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes till tender.	The soup is looking very nice now. Good color. Add the tomatoes or tomato paste.

Notes:  Hungarians spell this borsch; while Russian spell it Borscht.
Germans seem to be divided depending on what source influenced them. I have yet to calculate a serving quantity for the above. It seems to disappear too quickly on a freezing, wintery night; just as in a sweltering, summer. Accordingly, serve hot or cold.