I like fresh cooked beets, but am not a fan of pickled ones. However, my husband loves them! We have way too many of these beautiful chioggas. I know color will likely be lost in the process, that's OK.
What's your favorite WB canning recipe for pickled beets? I've looked at a few and none of them sound "good" to me – but that's probably because I don't care for them anyway.
TIA!
by araloss
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All of the recipes will be pretty much the same, other than the spices/seasonings you use, and those are personal preference.
I use Bernardin’s recipe (sweet blend with the cloves and cinnamon sticks)
[**https://www.bernardin.ca/recipes/en/pickled-beets.htm?Lang=EN-US**](https://www.bernardin.ca/recipes/en/pickled-beets.htm?Lang=EN-US)
If you have extra freezer space and lots of beets, I recommend peeling and slicing them into chunks and roasting them with a bit of oil. Cool and put them into bags (ideally vacuum sealed) for the freezer. I’ve tried frozen blanched beets and they get this rubbery texture but roasting them gives a better product.
The NCHFP recipe works well — I omit the onions and cinnamon sticks, and to each pint jar I add 4-5 whole cloves and a dried bay leaf instead. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/vegetable-pickles/pickled-beets/
PS my favorite use for pickled beets is Ukranian borscht.
I add ginger, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, garlic, salt to a brine with 1/4 rice vinegar 1/4 apple cider vinegar and 1/2 water. I like to use daikons but they all taste good.
This is the Ball recipe for Pickled Golden Beets. It calls for white vinegar, but your allowed to use any 5%+ acidity vinegar (or bottled lemon/lime juice). You can also mess around with the seasonings, in modest amounts. No fresh herbs, of course.
Pickled Golden Beets
Yields: Approximately 4 pints (wide-mouth jars recommended, but not required)
– 4# golden beets
– 2.5 Cups vinegar (5% acidity)
– 1.25 Cups water
– 1.25 Cups sugar
– 1tsp pickling salt
– 8 whole cloves
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 2 (2-2.5 inch diameter)* onions, thinly sliced.
*2 medium onions i guess? Not too large. Maybe just one large one of that’s all you have.
1. Trim beets leaving 1 inch of stem, and scrub. Bring beets to boil in water to cover in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Drain rinse and cool slightly. Trim off roots and stems; Peel. Cut in half vertically; cut halves crosswise into one quarter inch thick slices. To measure 6 cups.
2. Start together vinegar and next five ingredients in a 6 q stainless steel or enamel Dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil. Add beets and onion; reduce heat; and simmer 5 minutes. Remove and discard spices.
3. Pack beets and onion into a hot jar with a slotted spoon leave half inch 1 cm headspace. Ladle hot pickling liquid over beet mixture leaving half inch or 1 cm headspace.
Wipe jar rim with clean lightly moist towel. Center lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust a fingertip tight. Place jar and boiling water canner. *Repeat until all jars are filled.*
4. Process jars 30 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours without disturbing.
Dude, get a mandolin lol
I usually recommend the classic Ball Blue Book recipe for pickled beets.. that’s simple and tried-and-true, perfect for your husband’s taste buds…
Beets and onions pickled is a good one, Bernardin has a recipe for it online: https://www.bernardin.ca/recipes/en/beet-onion-pickles.htm?Lang=EN-US.
The onion adds mixture making them sweet and tangy but also savory too.