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Beets are so healthy and good for you, add a bit of fermentation and bam! These refrigerated quick pickled beets are just what the doctor ordered.
The beet and its greens have loads of health benefits. They’re great sources vitamins A & K, and a good source of manganese, copper, and potassium. They are high in fiber, and beetroot juice is a rich dietary source of antioxidants and nitrates.
Eating beets can increase your energy level, improve your immune system, and boost your brain function.
I recommend these mason jars for your pickled goodies!
Beets are often misjudged and not appreciated for the versatility they bring to the table. They can be pickled sweet, savory, or spicy depending on the season or your preference.
Their vibrant hue adds a splash of color when served with other dishes or alone as the pickled beets.
So basically, they are rich in color and content!
Remember to wash them thoroughly as they are often very sandy. Trim the stem off, peel, and prepare. If the greens are still attached, keep them after processing and use in a tasty salad or throw into a soup, curry, or stir-fry.
Beet juice will stain, beware
Color Alert: Make sure that the space and the tools you’re working with are okay to turn bright fuchsia. Everything that the beets touch that is porous WILL GET STAINED.
Wear gloves if you want to keep your hands unstained. Otherwise, the beet color will dissipate from your skin after a day or so. Fun Fact: Beets are great way to naturally dye fabric.
Refrigerated quick pickled beets — what to eat them with
These pickled beets give you tasty options for a variety of dishes.
- Add to turkey or vegetarian sandwiches
- Use as a salad topper
- Serve as a side dish with holiday turkey or ham
- Serve on cold platter with other pickled veggies like Quick Pickled Shallots, Quick Pickled Celery, Pickled Cherry Tomatoes, Pickled Cucumbers, Quick Pickled Jalapeños, or add them to a meat/cheese tray along with Pickled Sausage.
Why do you let the pickled beets sit overnight in the fridge before tasting?
The quick pickles sit in the fridge overnight so the flavors (the vinegar, salt, sugar, veggie/fruit, and spices) can blend together.
Remember– quick pickles need to be chilled quickly to keep them crunchy.
Boil the vinegar when doing quick pickles, and here’s why
You boil the vinegar when pickling so that it is hot enough to penetrate the fruit or vegetable being pickled. It’s the same principle seen in making tea.
Hot water steeps more intensely than cold water.
Be careful not to over boil, however, because the flavor and pickling ability is because of the vinegar and boiling it for too long will cause the vinegar to evaporate.
What you need (spices included) to pickle your beets
Ingredients
- whole cinnamon
- cloves
- black peppercorns
- garlic gloves
- bay leaves
- dill
- mustard and celery seeds
- tumeric
- apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt for brine mixture
The spices you use will depend on whether your pickled beets will be headed down the sweet or savory path. Maybe make a couple of batches and take both roads on your culinary journey.
How to do it
Directions
Sweet Pickled Beets
Wash three beets thoroughly and slice. You’re going to use enough (depending on the specific size) in this recipe to fill a 16 ounce jar. Add sliced beets, 1/2 stick cinnamon, 3 whole cloves, 2 whole garlic cloves, and 2 bay leaves into your jar.
Don’t worry that the spices settle at the bottom, they will rise up again and evenly distribute their flavor when you add the brine.
A More Savory Beet
Wash three beets thoroughly and cube. You’re going to use enough (depending on the specific size) to fill a 16 ounce jar.
Add cubed beets, black peppercorns, dill, mustard seed, and turmeric into your jar. This spice blend will yield a more savory pickle.
Quick Pickle Brine Recipe
DO NOT USE REACTIVE COOKWARE or STORAGE CONTAINERS such as Aluminum or Copper Pots. These, when combined with vinegar, create poisonous/toxic chemicals. Glass & Stainless Steel & Non-Stick Pots and containers are ideal.
When heating the brine, bring to a boil and IMMEDIATELY pour over future pickles and spices in chosen container. Too much boiling will evaporate the vinegar, thus eliminating the ability to “pickle” anything.
Using 1 cup apple cider vinegar (lends itself to sweetness of beets), 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of salt, prepare the brine mixture. Mix the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a stainless steel pan and bring to a boil.
As soon as it reaches a good boil, pour it over the beet mixture in the jar until the beets are just covered. Put the top on immediately and put into the refrigerator. Let the pickles sit over night before sampling. Hard to resist, but the flavors will meld together over the course of its 10-14 lifespan.
Note: You can substitute white vinegar if desired.
Other refrigerated quick pickles we love!
- Pickled Jalapenos
- Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
- Pickled Cabbage
- Pickled Sweet Peppers
- Pickled Celery
- Pickled Beets
- Pickled Cucumbers (AKA Pickles)
- Pickled Sausage
- Pickled Chicken Feet
Pickled Beets
Ingredients
Beets- Sweet Version
- 3 each beets sliced
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 3 each cloves whole
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 each garlic cloves whole
- 2 each bay leaves
Quick Pickle Brine
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
Beets-More Savory Version
- 3 each beets cubed
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorn
- 1/4 tsp dill
- 1/4 tsp mustard seed
- 1/4 tsp celery seed (not celery salt)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric ground
Instructions
Sweet Beets
- Wash the beets thoroughly and slice. You're going to use enough (depending on the specific size) in this recipe to fill 16 oz. jar.
- Add the beets, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves into your jar. Don't worry that the spices settle at the bottom, they will rise up again and evenly distribute their flavor when you add the brine.
More Savory Beets
- Wash the beets thoroughly and cube You're going to use enough (depending on the specific size) in this recipe to fill 16 oz. jar.
- Add the beets, peppercorn, dill, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric into your jar. Don't worry that the spices settle at the bottom, they will rise up again and evenly distribute their flavor when you add the brine.
Preparing the Brine
- Mix the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a stainless steel pan and bring to a boil.
- As soon as it reaches a good boil, pour it over the beet mixture in the jar until the beets are just covered.
- Put the top on immediately and put into the refrigerator.
- Let pickled beets sit overnight before eating.
To be clear, this recipe does not require you boil the beets before hand?
Hi Sheri. Yes, you’ll use raw beets for this recipe.