Pickled Beets | Photo Courtesy of Stevie Rocco
Perfect Pickled Beets
When you eat fresh beets, you will find they are a far cry from their distant canned relative. I think they are beautiful regardless of what variety you pick to eat – golden, candy-striped, or just that classic purple.
Beets are fantastic all-stars in salads. They get earthy and rich when they are roasted, and just amazing on a sandwich when they are pickled.
Pickled Beets
2016-03-29 21:23:46
Yields 6
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beets
- 3 cups cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 3 cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 3 star anise
Instructions
- Place the washed, skin-on beets in a bottom of a 6 quart or larger pot. Cover the beets with water but at least 2 inches and bring them to a boil. Allow the beets to boil for 20 minutes. You can check to see if they are done by sliding a pairing knife into the center. The beet should give just a little bit. If they are not done, allow the beets to continue to cook until they reach these state. Drain the water off and set the beets aside to cool completely.
- Once the beets are completely cooled, peel and slice the beets into 1/2 inch rounds. Place the rounds in wide-mouth canning jars (my preference). If you find you have rounds that are too wide, cut them into half or quarter them so you can get them passed the mouth of the jar.
- Combine the remaining ingredients into a 3 quart non-reactive saucepan and bring it to a boil. Carefully pour this brine over the beets (I use a funnel), making sure the beets are covered completely in the liquid. At this point, you could place the beets in the refrigerator and they would last for 3 months. If you would like to store them at room temperature and keep them longer than just 3 months you will need to process the beets in a hot water bath for 5 minutes.
Adapted from Sunset Magazine
Adapted from Sunset Magazine
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