Without a doubt, one of the greatest rewards that is reaped by vegetable gardeners, is the preserving or “putting up” of harvested fruits and vegetables for eating long into the months following the end of gardening season. Preserving includes drying, stewing and pickling. One of the easiest and tastiest ways to preserve a harvest of beets is to pickle them.
Tips and Tricks for Making Pickled Beets
One of the most important pieces of advice that can be provided to those who preserve beets by pickling them, is to keep a damp cloth nearby at all times, and expect a few little purple stains here and there. Kitchen countertop stains can be prevented by wiping up any beet “blood” as soon as possible.
The colour of the flesh of beets is really spectacular, and has been used in the dying of fabrics. Karen Leigh Casselman, in her book Craft of the Dyer, Colour from Plants and Lichens writes, “[I]t is safe to say that almost all beginning dyers try beets at one time or another, perhaps because they have beet-stained clothing or tablecloths and are determined that any stain so stubborn must be able to be made into a good dye.” (Dover Publications, 1993.)
Some kitchen math may be required when planning out a batch of beets. For instance, one recipe calls for 10 cups of prepared beets. One pound of raw beets will produce two cups of prepared beets. If a recipe calls for 10 cups of prepared beets, this means that five pounds of raw beets is required to produce the 10 cups needed for canning. For a batch this size, six 500 mL (or pint) jars or three 1 L (quart) jars can be used.
Steps for Pickling Beets
- Cleaning Beets. Beets need a good scrubbing before they are cooked. A cheap, clean nailbrush works well for scrubbing the beets because doing so with the hands isn’t sufficient to get all of the dirt off of the beets.
- Boiling Beets. Place the beets in a large pot and cover with water. Boil, as potatoes, for 20 to 40 minutes. When the beets are cooked, drain them and run them under cool water.
- Skinning and Cutting the Beets. The beet skins will come off easily when pressure is applied with the thumb and the skin is rubbed back and forth. Remove the stem and root ends, and cut into bite-sized pieces. A wedge shape is simple and attractive.
- Making the Beet Brine. Combine 2 1/2 cups of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and a spice bag containing 3 tablespoons of pickling spice. Bring the mixture to a boil and let boil gently for 15 minutes until the spices have infused the liquid.
- Cooking and Jarring the Beets. Once the brine is infused, remove the spice bag and add the beets to the pot. Return to a boil. Use a slotted spoon to pack the jar with cooked and peeled beets, and then add the pickling juice to the jars, leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Process the jars in a boiling water canner for 30 minutes.
Jars of pickled beets are a really beautiful colour. There are several variations of spices that can be used, such as a clove and cinnamon combination rather than the traditional pickling spice. Preserving harvested vegetables like beets will allow vegetable gardeners to enjoy the fruits of their labour all winter long!
