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Pickled Beets

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These homemade pickled beets are easy to make, keep for months, and taste absolutely fabulous!  You can make these to keep in your refrigerator where they’ll keep for several weeks or you can water-bath can them for long-term storage, directions provided below!

pickled beets recipe refrigerator canning

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.

How do you like to prepare beets?

As delicious as beets are they are also healthy superbly high in a variety of vitamins, so it’s a win-win!

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!).

beets fresh from garden for pickling

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 refrigerator canning

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.

boiling the veggies

Meanwhile, add the vinegar, sugar and spices to the pot and bring to a boil.

making brine

Peel the skins and slice the beets in 1/4 inch thick slices.

slicing

Place the sliced beets back in the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.

homemade pickled beets recipe canning preserving

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, at least 3 days before eating the beets, preferably longer.  The flavor improves with time.

homemade pickled beets recipe canning preserving

I like and recommend Granite Ware’s Enamel-on-Steel Canner.

Pickled-Beets-prep-9

The pickled beets are ready to eat in 2 weeks (and get even better with age) and will keep up to a year.

Enjoy!

pickled beets recipe refrigerator canning

For more pickled goodness be sure to also try our:

pickled beets recipe refrigerator canning

Pickled Beets

Pickled Beets are simple to make and are delicious as a side dish, snack, in salads, relishes, on sandwiches, and more!
4.98 from 39 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course condiment, Side Dish, Snack
Servings 24 servings
Calories 114 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

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:ย  Place the canning lids on the jars and process for 30 minutes (35 minutes if in 1000-3000 ft elevation) in a water bath.ย  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.ย  The flavor improves with time.
    Makes about 6 pints.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 235mgPotassium: 373mgFiber: 3gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 39IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Pickled Beets
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 19, 2015

kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Hi, Iโ€™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!

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Recipe Rating




4.98 from 39 votes (27 ratings without comment)

93 Comments

  1. 4 cups of vinegar is not enough liquid to cover the 6 lbs of beets in the jars. You need at least 3 times this amount. Ruined my beets.

    1. You must have measured wrong. There is plenty of liquid. Doesnโ€™t ruin them either. Just make more liquid if you need it.

  2. Can you do half apple cider vinegar and half white vinegar or will that combo impact the flavor of the beets? I grew up eating pickled beets at my grandmothers but that was a Bajillion years ago. Now I am deciding to give this canning thing a try. Better late then never. Also, I only have ground allspice. I’ve seen here that it may not work as well or it may leave a discoloration or specs or something like that. Is there any substitute or something that can be done to avoid ruining what appears here to be a great recipe?

  3. I thought I might make a small comment. I been canning for over 50 years. My Grandmother raise me and my brother and we stood by her side for many canning seasons. My wife hates canning she does not participate. She what we called a modern women. She always say you can go to a grocery store and buy it! Why do all that work! Because it taste good, I know where it come from, and somewhat cost effective. That said her a foot note. When boiling beets watch your time and do not over cook. Now for me I like my beets to have a firm “bite”. I do the second approach no water bath or pressure cooker. Processing with this items can sometimes make your beets soft if not mushy! Hot jars, lids, and boiling liquid pickle sauce. You’ve got to move quickly! Small 7 to 8 lb batches depending on help you have. Don’t overwhelm yourself are you can fall out of favor canning! Use clean towels to handle the hot equipment. You can get burn very seriously. Use caution and keep your mop handy to keep slick floors down. I have a air condition house for the last 4 years. I shut the register off and close the doors. My AC puts a draft across the sink and this can cause problems. Hot kitchen is the best. Can go outside and set up a table and a Coleman stove. This method of canning you can use your non Mason jars as long as the canning lid will screw down on it. You don’t have to worry about the jars cracking because you not using traditional method. If any thing gives is when you are boiling your jars to sterilize. Use jar thongs to handle jars. and magnetic stick for lids and rings to get out of hot water. Remember every thing Hot! In this area we have a product called Splenda it will work for substitute for sugar. You measure the same as sugar. I have been a diabetic for 20 years and I have use this for the last 4 years without a problem. If you open a jar of beets and there not sweet enough for you can add more Splenda to it after it chill A teaspoon at a time and shake and taste. Note when you make the hot liquid for the jars you will not taste the sweetness until it really cool off. Don’t start chucking more splendid in the mix are you will through the pickle balance off causing spoil pickle beets. Follow Kimberly recipe to the letter even if you decide to substitute sugar for splenda no shortcuts! And remember you cannot have enough heat. Well thats my 2 cents my beet crop is in I have about 30 lbs this year that will last me about 2 years. So happy canning folks.

    1. I did not use a water bath like you. Are the canning lids supposed to seal, ie with no popping sound?

  4. This is my first time canning/pickling beets. I used this recipe and just opened a jar today. The vinegar taste seems strong. Can we dilute it with water? This is my first garden since I was 12, really enjoying getting into canning my Veggies
    Thank you for sharing your recipe.

    1. Hi Dorrie, how long did you let the jars sit before opening them? With pickled things it’s always best to wait at least a couple of weeks to allow the vinegar time to mellow. But yes, once you open the jar you can dilute it at that point, but not before canning it as that will render it unsafe.

  5. Hi there! sounds like a great recipe, I will be making these later today.
    One question, It does not mention anything about sterilizing the pint jars before adding the beets. Is it not needed for this recipe?
    Thank you

  6. I have never pickled veg. without a water to vinegar ratio you use only vinegar
    is this accurate or was there an error

    1. Hi Cheryl, yes, vinegar with no water is standard for pickled beets. The sugar eliminates the sharpness of the vinegar and the beets taste phenomenal!

  7. Iโ€™ve only eaten Pick.ed Beets. My grandmother made them. I canโ€™t remember when I first ate them, but still love them. Thank you so much for the recipe. Iโ€™ve only made them from canned beets, but without the spices.

  8. I use
    2 cups white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and then pickling salt

    everyone I give them to loves them. I cut them in chunks. Been making them for years They have a sweet and sour taste.

  9. Just want to verify that there is no water used in the brine and that vinegar is the only liquid used. (Not sure I have seen any brine recipe without water and want to double check).
    Thanks.

    1. Hi Donna, not if you’re planning on canning the other veggies. The reason is that the brine may have already become a little diluted from the beets and when you simmer other vegetables in that same brine it will become even more diluted, potentially altering the pH level and making it unsafe for long-term storage. You CAN use the leftover brine on other veggies if you’re just planning on refrigerating the pickled veggies and eating them within a few weeks.