Spiced Pickled Beets

September 12, 2014 | 6 Comments

 

Welcome to week 35 of Reddit’s 52 Weeks of Cooking Challenge. The theme this week is pickling. We have been getting a lot of beets in our CSA, and I have never pickled beets before, so I decided it was high time I did so.

I love the way beets look beautiful in every picture they are in, don’t you?

I kept part of the beet top on when I boiled the beets. It was supposed to help with bleeding, but I don’t really think it did.

Peeling beets is messy business.

Feel free to puree some pickled beets, some pickling liquid,  some extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and pepper and you will have a bright fresh dressing that will compliment most salads. Their subtle spiced flavor will also shine on a holiday table in a crudité platter, condiment or side addition to your festive meal. Pared with baby greens, fresh soft cheese,  some grilled chicken and a glass or three of  sparkling blah blah blah, will make for a beautiful romantic dinner. My favorite way to eat these pickled beets is standing up, by the refrigerator out of the jar, all fancy-like. I am quite sure you will enjoy these spiced pickled beets each and every day with your family and friends, all year long.

However if you are like my dear Sister in Law, Carrie, and you think beets taste like dirt, and/or you share my dear friend Michael’s (winemaker for Stave 28), opinion that beets pare beautifully with a lovely bag of potting soil,  no amount of pickling will clean them off enough for you. You can at least enjoy my photographs and clever words. Please tell me friends, which team are you on, Team Awesome, beets taste awesomely awesome! or Team Beet, beets taste like dirty, dirty, dirt! Please leave a comment and let me know.  Thank you kindly and sincerely yours, the leader of Team Awesome!

Spiced Pickled Beets
Print
Recipe type: Condiment
Serves: 3-4 quart jars
Ingredients
  • 5-6 lbs beets, boiled and peeled and cut in thick slices
  • 1 cup cane sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp fine kosher salt
  • 3/4 qt white vinegar
  • 1 tsp whole cloves, 1 per jar, optional
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, halved, 1 per jar
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, for boiling
  • 2-3 cups of reserved beet boiling liquid
Instructions
  1. Place beets in a large stockpot with water to cove
  2. Bring to a boil, and cook until fork tender, about 15-30 minutes
  3. Drain beets, reserving 4 cups of the beet water
  4. Cool and peel and slice beet
  5. Sterilize jars and lids by immersing in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Fill each jar with sliced beets and add 1 whole clove and 1 cinnamon sticks to each jar
  6. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, cinnamon stick(s), and kosher salt
  7. Bring to a rapid boil for 3 minutes
  8. Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars, and seal lids
  9. Keep in refrigerator for 2 weeks
  10. To heat seal:
  11. Place a plate or rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water
  12. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder
  13. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars
  14. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1-2 inches above the tops of the jars
  15. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes
  16. Lift jars out carefully and let rest on counter for 24 hours undisturbed
  17. Enjoy the next day

This recipe was adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pickled-beets/.

6 Responses so far.

  1. Kourtney Wessels says:

    I love them, especially pickled! We should compare recipes!

  2. Madge says:

    I love beets roasted, boiled with butter & especially pickled with eggs. Awesomely awesome!!! Beet greens are good too.

  3. Awesome…beets are awesomely awesome. My husband has no idea what he’s talking about. Potting soil…phff.

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