Homemade Refrigerator Pickled Beets
Last summer I found myself with a surplus of veggies from the local Farmer’s Market. Immediately I was dreaming about recipes to help me preserve them as long as possible since I simply refuse to throw away perfectly good food. Especially fresh, organic produce. I pickled the cucumbers and the beets because those are my daughter’s favorites.
Pickling isn’t a new thing. It has been a favored technique for preserving food to last through the winter months for centuries. Pickling is an old process, traditionally used to prolong the shelf life of food. That’s why it was popular at the end of growing seasons. A bountiful harvest often means more food on hand than can be quickly eaten.
Pickling for Long Term Food Storage
Commonly, pickling uses a solution with a high amount of vinegar (sometimes salt) to inhibit bacterial growth and delay the onset of deterioration. Pickling results in food that has an entirely new flavor profile and different texture than its fresh counterparts. Eggs, fruits, vegetables, and meats can all be pickled.
Many different cultures turn to pickling to showcase a variety of foods. From corned beef to kimchi, salsas to kosher cucumbers, mushrooms, olives, fish, and everything in between. When pickling food, there’s a difference between refrigerated recipes and shelf-stable recipes.
Refrigerated recipes, like these refrigerated pickled beets, must be stored in the refrigerator and maintain a shelf life of several weeks. Shelf stable recipes are canned, last longer, and rely upon proper canning processes to meet food safety requirements. Basic food science principles like acidity and pH are paramount in the safety of canned foods—careless canning can result in foodborne illness. For more about food science, visit Food Science Secrets, and read my previous post for more information about food safety.
You can add these to a salad or eat them as a side dish with dinner. I eat these pickled beets with a fork. That’s it. A fork.
Refrigerator Pickled Beets
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beets
- ½ red onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups white distilled (or apple cider) vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. allspice (whole)
- 5-6 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp. mulling spice
Directions
- Wash beets, and trim off stems and roots. Boil a big pot of water (large enough to fully cover the beets).
- Add beets (skin on) to the boiling water, and boil for approximately 40 minutes, or until the beets can be pierced with a fork. While beets are boiling, prepare a large bowl with ice water.
- After beets have finished cooking, plunge them into the ice water. Rub beet skins with hands until the skins have fallen off into the cold water (or leave skins on for an extra helping of fiber and nutrition).
- Cut beets into the desired shape and size. Divide beets and sliced red onion evenly into glass jars
- In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Cook mixture on medium just until sugar and salt have dissolved. Pour hot liquid over the beet and onion mixture. Allow liquid to cool.
- Sprinkle allspice and mulling spice into each jar. Add 1-2 cinnamon sticks in each jar. Seal jars.
- Store pickled beets in the refrigerator to enjoy on salads (and sandwiches), or eat them with a fork.
Note: Refrigerated pickled beets should last several weeks. Be sure to date your jars.
This recipe can be made…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Have you tried this recipe? Have your own recipe to share? I’d love you to leave a comment below.
Sources:
Pickled Beets
https://www.rootandbloomforever.com/pickled-beets-are-good-eats/
Root and Bloom Forever