Pickled Beets are Good Eats

A few weeks ago I picked up this bunch of BEAUTIFUL, softball-sized fresh beets at our local farmers’ market. Immediately I was dreaming about beet recipes… I’m no gardening expert, but I would consider myself top-notch at perusing a good farmers’ market. And eating those market mini donuts… 😛

Well, my beets sat, and sat, and sat….until I decided on the right recipe for these beauties. (Roasted beets just didn’t feel right when it was 88 degrees outside.) And then there it was…staring at me from every foodie outlet – pickles! Pickled everything featured on Instagram, food blogs, and my favorite food publications.

So. It had to be pickled beets! Plus, Dad loves pickled beets. My dad. He’s so en vogue.

Well, pickling is hot again, and who’s surprised? It has been a favored cooking technique among foodies for centuries.

Pickling is an old process, traditionally used to prolong the shelf life of food. That’s why we see a boom in it’s popularity at the end of growing seasons. A bountiful harvest often means more food on hand than can be quickly eaten.

Pickling commonly 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. (Hmm…I’m coming up short on an example of pickled nuts…anyone?)

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 (is there anything in between?) …pickling is a language we all speak.

When pickling food, recall the difference between “refrigerated” recipes and shelf stable recipes. Refrigerated recipes (like the Refrigerated Pickled Beets below) must be stored in the refrigerator and maintain a shelf life of a 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 and food, visit: Food Science Secrets.

My dad ate these pickled beets with a fork. That’s it. A fork. Personally, I’d recommend putting them on a spinach salad. 😉

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Pickled Beets

Author Mary

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Beets
• 1/2 Red Onion thinly sliced
• 2 c. White Vinegar
• 1 c. Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 c. Water
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Allspice whole
• 1 tsp Pickling Spice

Instructions

1. Wash beets, and trim off stems/roots. Boil a big pot of water (large enough to fully cover the beets).

2. 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. 

3. 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. 

4. Cut peeled beets into the desired shape/size. Divide beets evenly, and add to glass jars. Divide sliced red onion evenly, and add these to the glass jars with beets. 

5. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Cook mixture on medium-high until all sugar has dissolved. Pour hot liquid over the beet/onion mixture. 

6. Sprinkle allspice and pickling spice into each jar. Seal jars. 

7. Store pickled beets in the refrigerator to enjoy on salads (and sandwiches), or eat them with a fork. 🙂 

   Refrigerated pickled beets should last several weeks. Be sure to date your jars!