Pickled Beets
Ok, time to get pickled… start by cracking a Beer or any liquor of your preference and start drinking. After you have finish one repeat and continue until your friends tell you that you’re pickled, kidding of course.
In the days before refrigeration, or probably similar to life on the “Walking Dead”, Pickling was used primarily to preserve. All those beautiful Fruits and Vegetables would go rotten if they didn’t preserve them in one form or another. These days pickling is still used to preserve but we also do it just to have the pickle flavour.
These recipes are not intended to teach you how to preserve your summer garden but how to add flavour. Just like the Arugula Beet Salad sometimes it’s nice to have a little added tanginess on your plate. So let’s explore a couple ways we can do that ourselves because sometimes we aren’t able to find what we need at our grocery store.
Quick and Easy Pickled Beets
The down and dirty method, because all of us are in a rush from time to time. Canned Beets are the savior here, already cooked and ready to pickle. You don’t have to be in a hurry to enjoy these but if you are, this is the way to go.
Use a couple cans of Beets, sliced, baby rounds it doesn’t matter. Drain the Beets and put them aside in a bowl large enough so the Brining liquid can cover them. Measure out your Vinegar, Water, Sugar and Picking Spices into a pot on the Stove. Turn heat to medium high and simmer until all the Sugar has dissolved and the liquid is bubbling.
Gently pour the Pickling liquid over the canned Beets, set aside and in 30 minutes you have Salad ready Pickled Beets. These Pickled Beets are good enough to be served as a side dish.
The more classic Pickled beets
The second method takes a little longer with a slightly nicer result. Making Pickled Beets with fresh Beets gives the Beets a nicer texture. Unlike the down and dirty method where the canned Beets are already cooked and then you cook them again by covering them in a hot Brine, this method they are only cooking once leaving you with more control.
The one thing I do differently is remove a step from most other recipes. Why, because I am way too busy most of the time so everything helps… I’m sure you know what I mean. I peel the Beets while they are firm, rather than peeling after they are cooked, and cooking them in the Pickling Liquid. I find this easier than cooking the Beets, peeling them, making my pickling mixture and putting the two together.
It’s that easy, takes about 45-50 minutes on the stovetop and voila Pickled Beets. Ready to be jarred or served right away as a side dish even added as a tangy sweet addition to another one of your creations.
The Changing Flavours
To change the flavour accents in Pickled Beets there are a couple things you can do. The Vinegars you choose makes a big difference… White Vinegar will be sharp while White Wine Vinegar and Cider Vinegar will be more balanced. A Sherry Vinegar or Sauterne will be much Sweeter but all of them will be unique and different.
The second is the Spice Mix… most of the time I reach for a generic package of Pickled Spice mix. But a spice mix of Ginger, Black Peppercorns, Mustard Seed, Dried Red Chilies, Allspice, Dill Seed, Mace. Nope not quite there yet stay with me phew, Cinnamon, Bay Leaves and finally Cloves is fairly classic. This Spice mix will make a very nice and aromatic Pickled Beets but you can see why I stick with the off the shelf package.
I’ll end with an anecdote, I never had an interest in Pickled Beets until my first visit to Australia. We all remember certain things about our trips and to the best of my recollection I remember Pickled Beets on almost every plate of food I was served in Australia. I’m not sure why, but Aussies seem to have an affinity for Pickled Beets and because of that I realized I actually enjoy them too. Go Figure.
Pickled Beets: Method 1
Ingredients
- 2 cans Beets in water
The Brine
- 2 C Water
- 1 C Vinegar I enjoy half White Wine Vinegar and half Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 C Sugar
- 1 tsp Pickling Spice Mix ( Optional ) Store bought or make your own
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
Making the Brine
- Down and Dirty, Quick and Easy, measure all the Brine ingredients into a pot and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the sugar has completely dissolved, should only take a couple of minutes.
- While the Brine is simmering open the cans of Beets strain and place them in a bowl large enough so they can be covered with the Brine.
Finishing Off
- Once the Sugar has dissolved carefully pour it over the Beets and set aside on the counter. After 30 minutes you will have wonderful sweet and tangy Beets, perfect as a side dish or in anything else you can dream of.
Notes
Pickled Beets: Method 2
Ingredients
- 4-5 Beets medium to large
The Brine
- 2 C Water
- 1 C Vinegar I used half White Wine half Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 C Sugar
- 1 tsp Pickling Spice Mix Optional Store bought or make your own
- Pinch Salt
Instructions
Prepping the Beets
- Easy, start peeling all your Beets. I like this Method because I find it easier and less messy to peel Beets before they are cooked. Use gloves if you don’t want your hands to look like they just slaughtered a small animal.
- After Peeling, cut or slice the Beets, the thicker the slices or chunks the longer to cook but the firmer they will be in the end. If you go really thin or small you run a greater risk of over cooking. I like to slice mine a solid 1/2 inch think.
Making the Brine
- Similar to the Down and Dirty method, measure all the Brine ingredients into a pot but this time add the Beets in too .Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and the put lid on.
- After approximately 45-50 minutes you will have fresh sweet and tangy Beets. You will know they are done when a fork can be pushed through with ease. Add them to a Salad, eat them on their own or place them in a mason jar or other container and put them in the fridge for later.