Buzz
Pickled beets are a simple, delicious dish with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, especially popular during the summer. The traditional method involves cooking the beets, peeling them, and fermenting them in the fridge for about a week. Alternatively, you can prepare and enjoy the 'quick pickled beets' the same day. To store pickled beets for a longer period, you can jar them. Here's how you can pickle and jar beets:
Ingredients
Traditional Pickled Beets
- 1.5 kg of fresh whole beets
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, halved
Quick Pickled Beets
- 4-5 beets
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- Salt and pepper
Steps
Traditional Pickling of Beets
Wash and trim the beet greens. Fresh beets often have dirt on them, so it’s a good idea to use a vegetable brush to scrub them clean if necessary. Then, place the beets on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to remove the beet tops and stems.
- Choose beets that are firm and free from bruises. Beets that are soft to the touch or uneven in color are not fresh enough for pickling. It’s important to pick high-quality, fresh beets.
- If there are still leaves attached to the beets, you can keep them for a tasty dish. The beet greens can be chopped and sautéed with butter or olive oil for a delicious meal.
Boil the beets. Beets need to be cooked before pickling. The most common method is boiling. First, place the beets in a medium-sized pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer with the lid on for about 25-30 minutes.
- You can also roast the beets for a different texture and flavor. Simply wrap them in aluminum foil and bake at 180°C for about an hour until fully cooked.
Let the beets cool and peel the skin off. The cooked beets should be soft to the touch, and the skin should come off easily with your hands. Allow the beets to cool slightly before peeling.
Cut the beets. Slicing the beets is a popular option for pickling, but you can also cut them into cubes or bite-sized pieces. Keep in mind that whole beets will take longer to pickle compared to sliced ones. Once cut, place the beets in one or two large jars.
- Glass jars are ideal for storing pickled beets since glass does not react with the brine.
- Avoid using metal or plastic containers as they can react with the brine and spoil the beets.
Prepare the brine for the pickles. In a small pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and garlic. Bring it to a boil and stir well. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
Pour the brine over the beets in the jar. Make sure the brine fully covers the beets. Seal the jars with the lids and place them in the refrigerator.
Let the pickled beets sit in the fridge for at least a week. Stir occasionally to ensure the brine is evenly absorbed by the beets. The pickled beets can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 months.
Quick Pickled Beets
Wash and trim the beet greens. Use a brush to scrub off any dirt from the surface of the beets. Place them on a cutting board and cut off the leaves and stems. If you prefer, you can keep the beet greens to use in other dishes.
Boil the beets. Place the beets in a medium-sized pot and cover them with water. Boil the beets for 30 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the water cool. The beets should be tender and the skin should come off easily when you peel it by hand.
Peel and cut the beets. Remove the beets from the pot and peel off the skin, which should come off easily. Place the beets on a cutting board and slice or cube them as desired.
Prepare the beet marinade. In a small bowl, mix together apple cider vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and dry mustard. Stir well and then add salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the beets with the marinade. Place the beets in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and let them marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Chill the beets. If you prefer not to eat the beets at room temperature, you can cover them tightly and refrigerate for about 1 hour to enjoy them cold.
Finish the dish.
Seal the jar of pickled beets.
Sterilize the jars. You can either boil the jars for 10 minutes or place them in the dishwasher on the hottest setting. Make sure to sterilize the lids and metal rings as well. Once sterilized, place the jars, lids, and rings on a clean towel.
Heat the special pot. Follow the product's instructions to heat up the specialized pot and prepare for jar sealing. You can use a regular pot or a pressure cooker.
Boil and peel the beets. After cleaning off the dirt and removing the leaves, place the beets in a large pot and cover them with water. Boil for 30 minutes until the skins start to come off. Let the beets cool down before peeling them.
Slice the beets into thin pieces. The thinner you slice the beets, the more you can fit into the jar, and the easier the flavors will absorb.
Prepare the vegetable brine. Similar to how you make vegetable brine, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and garlic in a large pot. Then, bring the mixture to a boil.
Place the beets in the brine. Carefully add the beets to the vegetable brine mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Ensure the mixture is boiling thoroughly before pouring it into the jars.
Pour the beets and brine into the jars. Fill the jars with the beets and brine, leaving about 1.5 cm of space from the top of the jar. This space is necessary to prevent the lid from popping off during storage. Seal the jar with the lid and tighten the metal ring securely, but not too tight.
Place the jars in the specialized canning pot. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the canning process. The standard canning time for beets is 30 minutes, but this may vary depending on the type of pot used and your altitude.
Allow the jars to cool after canning. Use tongs to remove the jars from the pot and set them on the counter until they cool down.
Check the jar lids before storage. The jar is properly sealed when the lid is slightly concave. Try removing the metal ring without opening the lid to check if the air has been fully vacuumed out. If the jar is properly sealed, store it in a cool, dark place. Properly sealed canned beets can last up to one year in a cool, dark location.
- If the lid pops off when you remove the metal ring, the jar was not sealed correctly. While the beets may still be edible if refrigerated immediately, they won't last for a year.
Advice
- To ensure the beets cook evenly, choose ones that are similar in size.
- Save the beet greens for use in salads or stir-fry dishes.
What You Will Need
Traditional Pickled Beets
- Boiling Pot
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Small Bowl
- Jar
Quick-Pickle Beets
- Boiling Pot
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Small Bowl
- Plastic Wrap or Aluminum Foil
Canned Beets
- Specialized Canning Pot (for food canning)
- Jar, Lid, and Metal Ring
- Jar Lifter Tool
- Boiling Pot
- Cutting Board
- Knife
