Russian Meat Aspic

Instructions

1. Prepare the meat
   Rinse all meat pieces thoroughly under cold water. Place in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse the meat again.
2. Cook the broth
   Return the meat to the cleaned pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover with cold water (about 4-5 liters) and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 5-6 hours, occasionally skimming off any foam.
3. Check the gelatin content
   After about 5 hours, take a tablespoon of the broth and place it on a small plate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. If it sets like jelly, the broth has enough natural gelatin. If not, continue cooking for another hour.
4. Prepare the meat mixture
   Once the broth is ready, remove the meat pieces and separate the meat from bones and cartilage. Shred or chop the meat into small pieces and discard the bones, skin, and gristle. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve.
5. Add final flavorings
   Add the minced garlic and chopped herbs to the warm broth and stir well. Taste and adjust salt as needed. The flavor should be quite strong as it will mellow when chilled.
6. Assemble and chill
   Divide the meat pieces among shallow serving dishes or a large glass dish. Ladle the hot broth over the meat until just covered. Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight until completely set.
7. Serve the kholodets
   Before serving, you can garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired. Traditionally, kholodets is served cold with horseradish sauce (khren) and/or spicy mustard, along with black bread and vodka.