Both are traditional. Belarusian zhur is historically often oat-based (milder, paler); rye is richer and more sour. For a gluten-free version use a buckwheat starter (it ferments longer, about two weeks).

Why did my starter curdle?

It was boiled hard. Add it at the end and keep the soup at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil.

Can I make it lean or with milk?

Yes: zhur z malakom is the lean Belarusian version, whitened with milk and without smoked meat. It is also good on a vegetable broth.

Why marjoram and a bread crust?

Marjoram is the traditional aroma of this soup (rub it between your palms). A crust of rye bread in the starter speeds fermentation and deepens the flavour.

Belarus · Soups

Zhur

Name: Zhur
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Belarusian
Ingredients: 400 ml rye sour starter, liquid: ready-made (zakwas na żurek) or homemade; 400 g smoked pork ribs; 1500 ml water; 400 g potatoes; 150 g onion; 100 g carrot; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp dried marjoram; 2 whole bay leaf; 4 whole allspice; 4 whole hard-boiled eggs; 4 tbsp sour cream; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp vegetable oil

A traditional Belarusian sour soup whose tang comes from fermented rye (or oat) flour rather than vinegar. The starter is cooked with smoked pork, potatoes, root vegetables, and marjoram, then served with a hard-boiled egg and sour cream.

50 min 320 kcal 6 serves Advanced🇧🇾Belarus Jump to recipe

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Ingredients

ServingsMetric

400 mlrye sour starter, liquid: ready-made (zakwas na żurek) or homemade
400 gsmoked pork ribs
1500 mlwater
400 gpotatoes
150 gonion
100 gcarrot
3 clovesgarlic
1 tbspdried marjoram
2 wholebay leaf
4 wholeallspice
4 wholehard-boiled eggs
4 tbspsour cream
1 tspsalt
0.5 tspblack pepper
1 tbspvegetable oil

Method

Get the starter ready. The simplest option is a jar of ready-made liquid rye starter (sold as zakwas na żurek in Polish and Eastern European shops); then skip straight to step 2. To make your own, start 4 to 5 days ahead: in a glass jar stir rye flour with warm water into a thin, pourable batter, drop in a crust of rye bread, cover with cloth, and leave at room temperature, stirring once a day, until it smells clearly sour. Strain it — you need 400 ml.
Put the smoked pork ribs in a pot with the water, bay leaves, and allspice, bring to a boil, and simmer 30 minutes. Lift out the ribs, pull off the meat, and return it to the pot.
Add the cubed potatoes and simmer 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the onion and grate the carrot, and soften them in the oil until golden; add to the pot.
Stir the starter well, then pour it into the soup. Keep it at a gentle simmer (do not let it boil hard) for 5 minutes.
Rub the marjoram between your palms and stir it in with the crushed garlic, salt, and black pepper. Remove the bay leaves.
Serve hot with half a hard-boiled egg, a spoonful of sour cream, and extra potatoes if you like.

FAQ

It is fermented rye (or oat) flour in liquid form. You can buy it ready-made in jars — look for zakwas na żurek in Polish and Eastern European shops. To make it yourself: stir the flour with warm water in a glass jar into a thin, pourable batter, drop in a crust of rye bread, cover with cloth, and leave at room temperature 4 to 5 days, stirring once a day. It is ready when clearly sour and aromatic; strain before using. Keep it in the fridge, or freeze in portions.