Pickled Raw Beets
These are bright, tangy and oh so healthy! They are great straight from the jar, on sandwiches, or as a fresh side dish.
Not sure why anyone would eat beets?
Behold the Mighty Beet-
- Keeps blood pressure in check
- Helps fight inflammation
- Improves athletic performance
- Supports brain health
- Improves digestive health
- May have anticancer properties
- Can help you lose weight
And they contain over 80 nutrients! What the heck? source
Here is the truth: I am disastrous at fermenting foods. Every time I try to traditionally pickle something it turns brown and I am scared that I am going to poison someone. I need those airlock thingys that take the guesswork out of home-fermentation.
Until then, I am using less risky methods for preserving beets. I know that natural fermenting is way healthier – but botulism isn’t healthy.
In the past, I have roasted my beets before canning them. The end result is tasty, but not nearly as nutritious as beet are when eaten raw or fermented.
I wanted a method to can beets – but not cook them to death first.
I scoured the internet and read every beet recipe in my arsenal of canning/ preserving books and landed on this one.
I like that the beets are never cooked, boiled, roasted or denatured. These beets go into the pickling brine as raw as the day you picked them.
I also love the tangy sweet & sour, ginger infused brine they marinate in.
These are fantastic. If you like bread and butter pickles you’ll love these. They incorporate fresh ginger for the little ‘kick” instead of red peppers (used in bread & butter pickles). Bread & butter pickle recipe here.
They are a nice side to a savory meal and a refreshing perk after you ate too much. The sliced, pickled beets are fantastic on a turkey sandwich (think Thanksgiving leftovers, Y’all).
Let’s go!
Chop the tops off the beets and peel them.
I know there are recipes all over the universe that tell you to not peel the beets – but if you don’t want them to taste like dirty carrots, you must peel them.
Just sayin’
After they are peeled – grab a food processor and let it do the work for you.
I can’t imagine using a mandoline to thinly slice this booty of beets. I’d probably still be slicing on Christmas Eve. So, grab a food processor and choose your setting.
You can set it to shred them so you have more of a slaw shape. Or you can have it slice them thinly.
It will perfectly slice, dice, and shred 50 pounds of beets in 3 minutes.
Especially if you employ a couple of capable teenagers to help – which I highly recommend. Just make sure they are old enough to navigate canning without hurting themselves.
Once the beets are slivered, slice some sweet onions to go with them.
Beets & Sweet Onions & Ginger were made to be together.
Next, make the brine.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a sauce pot over medium heat. Cook on stovetop until the sugar is dissolved. Add the salt, spices and grated fresh ginger.
This makes enough brine to cover 8-10 large beets (sliced). If you have more beets, make more brine.
Tightly pack the jars with the beets & onions & pour the brine over. Tighten lids and move to refrigerator. Let marinate 2+ days before enjoying.
Most recommendations say pickled beets will last 1-3 months in the refrigerator.
Always use your best judgment. Discard any questionable product.
XO,
Candi
| Servings |
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- 2 lb beets sliced thin or shredded
- 1 sweet onion sliced
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 tbsp pickling spice (whole cloves, whole allspice, mustard seed)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 inch ginger root grated
Ingredients
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Chop the tops off the beets and peel them. After they are peeled - grab a food processor and let it do the work for you.
You can set it to shred them so you have more of a slaw shape. Or you can have it slice them thinly. Once the beets are slivered, slice some sweet onions to go with them.
Next, make the brine.
Combine the vinegar and sugar in a sauce pot over medium heat. Cook on stovetop until the sugar is dissolved. Add the salt, spices and grated fresh ginger.
This makes enough brine to cover 8-10 large beets (sliced). If you have more beets, make more brine.
Tightly pack the jars with the beets & onions & pour the brine over. Tighten lids and move to refrigerator. Let marinate 2+ days before enjoying.
Most recommendations say pickled beets will last 1-3 months in the refrigerator. Always use your best judgment. Discard any questionable product.
