Ingredients

  • 3 large onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 3 lbs sauerkraut
  • 2/3 cup tomato paste
  • 4 cups tomato juice
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • paprika, to taste (sweet)
  • ground caraway, to taste
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • Tabasco sauce, to taste
  • 10 small pickled cucumbers
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 1 cup sour cream

Method

  • Coarsely chop onions, finely mince cloves.
  • In a large pot (big enough for the sauerkraut, beef and 8 cups of liquid) heat oil and saute onions and cloves until onions are translucent, then add the ground beef. Cook until done, mashing all lumps of meat thoroughly with a fork. There should not be big lumps of meat when it's done.
  • Pull the sauerkraut apart (don't dump it into the pot in a lump, or you will have burger soup with a giant sauerkraut dumpling) and add it to the meat in small portions. Immediately add tomato paste, tomato juice and beef stock. Mix well, then add one tablespoon pepper, paprika powder and caraway and some salt (depending on how salty the stock already is).
  • Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.
  • Try the soup and add salt and spices to taste, then add Tabasco to taste.
  • Finely slice the cucumbers and add to soup, let simmer for five more minutes.
  • Finely chop the parsley.
  • Serve the soup in bowls, garnish with one dollop of sour cream and some parsley.
  • Enjoy!