Pickled Beets
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This homemade pickled beets recipe is easy to make, they keep for months and taste absolutely fabulous! You can make these to keep in your refrigerator for several weeks or you can water-bath can them for long-term storage, directions provided below!
Homemade Pickled Beets
I’ve always been a fan of pickled beets. I’m not sure how or when this love affair started, but even as a little girl I remember eagerly diving into these, whether at the dinner table or as a quick snack. I also enjoy them in salads and boiled or steamed as a side vegetable for meat and fish. Oh, and grilled with a simple dab of butter, yum! Or how about in a Red Flannel Hash? Beets are also a great addition to baked goods like chocolate cake and brownies.
Use the freshest beets you can find. I’m using beets freshly harvested from my garden. I usually add the beet greens to soups, stews and salads and if I have an overabundance I’ll often blanch and freeze the greens for future use or feed them to our chickens (they love them too!).
But beets lend themselves particularly well to pickling. Stock up on fresh beets while in season, pickle them, and then enjoy them all the year long! Pickled beets are great on their own, as a side, and go great in things like pasta salads, spreads and relishes.
How do you use pickled beets? Share your ideas with us!
Pickled Beets Recipe
Let’s get started!
Thoroughly scrub and wash the beets. Leave the skins on or they will bleed while boiling and lose their color.
Place the beets in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 20-35 minutes, depending on the size of the beets, until the beets are soft when pierced with a fork. Drain the beets and remove them from the pot to let cool until you can comfortably handle them.
Meanwhile, add the vinegar, sugar and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.
Peel the skins and slice the beets in 1/4 inch thick slices.
Place the sliced beets back in the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Ladle the sliced beets into the jars, spooning enough liquid over them to completely cover while leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top of the jar rim. If you’re not canning the beets for long-term storage, let the beets cool and then transfer the jars to the refrigerator where they will keep for about 2 months.
How to Can Pickled Beets
Ladle the sliced beets into the jars, spooning enough liquid over them to completely cover while leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top of the jar rim.
If canning for long-term storage: Place the canning lids on the jars and process for 30 minutes (35 minutes if in 1000-3000 ft elevation) in a water bath. Carefully remove the jars and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours and then store them in a cool, dark place where they will keep for up to a year.
I use and recommend Granite Ware’s Enamel-on-Steel Canner.
Whether canning or not, wait at least 3 days before eating the beets, preferably 2 weeks. The vinegar will mellow and the flavor will improve with time.
Ways to Enjoy Pickled Beets
There are lot of ways you can enjoy your homemade pickled beets. Here are just a few ideas:
- Straight out of the can!
- Diced and served as a pickled beet salad.
- Diced or sliced in strips and added to leafy green, grain, and other salads.
- On sandwiches, burgers, kebabs, falafel or in wraps.
- Served with a charcuterie or antipasto platter.
- Added to soups like borscht.
- Added to hummus for beetroot hummus.
- Served with cottage cheese.
- Finely diced and added to homemade yogurt with some lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper for a fresh and tangy beetroot yogurt dip.
- Use in place of cucumber or in addition to the cucumber in this cucumber raita to make beetroot raita.
Enjoy!
For more pickled goodness be sure to also try my:
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Pickled Okra
- Giardiniera
- Bread and Butter Pickles
- Refrigerator Pickles
- Pickled Carrots
- Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers
- Pickled Green Beans
- Pickled Turnips
- Pickled Asparagus
- English Pickled Onions
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Pickled Beets
Ingredients
- 6 pounds red beets , washed and scrubbed clean
- 4 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the beets in a large pot of water and bring to a boil (do not peel the skins or the beets will bleed and lose their color). Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of the beets, until the beets are soft when pierced with a fork. Drain the beets and remove them from the pot to let cool until you can comfortably handle them (discard the beet water).
- Meanwhile, add the vinegar, sugar and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Peel the skins and slice the beets in 1/4 inch thick slices. Place the sliced beets back in the pot with the vinegar solution and simmer for another 5 minutes.Ladle the sliced beets into the jars, spooning enough liquid over them to completely cover while leaving 1/2 inch head space from the top of the jar rim.
- If you're not canning the beets for long-term storage, let the beets cool and then transfer the jars to the refrigerator where they will keep for about 2 months.If canning for long-term storage: Place the canning lids on the jars and process for 30 minutes (35 minutes if in 1000-3000 ft elevation) in a water bath. Carefully remove the jars and let sit undisturbed for 24 hours and then store them in a cool, dark place where they will keep for up to a year.Whether canning or not, wait at least 3 days before eating the beets, preferably longer. The flavor improves with time.Makes about 6 pints.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 19, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Can you keep the beets whole rather than slicing them?
Love your recipe, didn’t change a thing , thank you
Yes you can, Deb, and thank you!
Can I make the canned beets without the spices?
Hi Rose, yes you can do that.
I use balsamic vinegar [and brown sugar]. When the beetroot is eaten I use the delicious beetroot balsamic to make salad dressing. Inspiring website, I’ve made three things in a week! Thank you
Thank you so much for the compliment, Patricia, I’m thrilled to hear that and appreciate the feedback! :)
All useful stuff. Was not sure how long pickled beets were good for in a very efficient fridge. Definitely scald all lids and jars.
Hi….I should have tasted the brine before I processed the beets. I found it to be very vinegary. That may be your preference for sure but I like mine a bit sweeter.
I love beets it contain a lot of beneficial vitamins. Your article has been enlightening and fun to read and I am grateful so thank you for sharing.
can we use any type of sugar? like brown sugar for example or coconut sugar?
Hi Jacinta, if you’re not planning on canning the pickled beets for long-term storage you can use any sugar or sugar substitute of your choice. If you are canning them you are more limited. From what I understand, brown sugar can be used but I don’t believe that coconut sugar can. You would need to do some research on the question.