Content

• Ingredients
• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Prepare the supplies
• Part 2 of 3: Preparing beetroot and brine
• Part 3 of 3: Put the beets in the jars
• Tips

By canning beets you can enjoy them all year round. The beets are stored in a light brine solution, which perfectly complements the taste of the beets and prevents the beets from spoiling. To pickle beets, all you have to do is clean them well, prepare everything else well, and prepare a brine solution to keep the beets in sterilized jars.

Ingredients

• 10 large beets
• 2 dl water
• 4 dl white vinegar
• 40 grams of white sugar
• 3 grams (1 teaspoon) of salt
• 3 grams of black pepper
• 3 grams of celery seed
• 5 grams of dry mustard

To step

Part 1 of 3: Prepare the supplies

1. Sterilize your canning jars. You can use special preserving jars with lids with rubber rings, or reuse glass jam jars or other glass jars with a screw lid. If you take used pots, scrub those pots with warm water and some washing-up liquid and a washing-up brush or scouring pad to remove any food residue, or clean the pots in the dishwasher. Sterilize the jars, lids and any other items you use in canning in the following way:
   • Place them in a large saucepan and fill it with water.
   • Bring the water to a boil and let it boil for 10 minutes.
   • Take everything out with clean tongs and let it dry on a clean kitchen towel.
2. Choose beets that are well ripened. Ideally, beets are harvested about a month before preservation. This gives the vegetable time to ripen properly, resulting in the best taste. Look for beets that are firm, with no visible bruises or soft spots.
   • While it is best to choose ripe beets, it is also best to use beets that are a bit older or not quite ripe, as the brine liquid also adds flavor to the beets.
3. Scrub the beets. Fresh beets are often a bit dirty. Scrub the beets thoroughly with a vegetable brush to remove all dirt and caked-on soil. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. If you find ugly spots under the dirt, cut them away with a potato peeler.
4. Remove any leaves. Cut them off with a sharp knife. Beet leaves are very tasty. You may be able to stew them when you have finished canning your beets.

Part 2 of 3: Preparing beetroot and brine

1. Boil the beets. Place them in a large saucepan and pour water on top until they are just submerged. Sprinkle a generous teaspoon of salt into the water and bring them to a boil. Boil the beets until you can easily insert a knife; about 30 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and drain the water.
   • If you have different sized beets, put the larger beets in the water first. Let them cook for about five minutes before adding the remaining beets. This ensures that the largest beets are well cooked and the smaller beets are not overcooked.
2. Peel the beets. When the beets have cooled sufficiently, you can easily strip the skin off with your fingers. After cooking, the beet skins should slide off easily. If necessary, use a knife. When you are done, throw away the peels.
3. Slice the beets. Many people choose to cut beets into slices that are suitable for bread, but of course you can cut them into any shape you want. If you cut the beets into smaller pieces, more will fit in the pots.
4. Prepare the brine solution. Do this while the beets are warm, so that the brine solution is also warm when the beets are ready. Place all ingredients in a saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer gently for two minutes.

Part 3 of 3: Put the beets in the jars

1. Put the beets in the jars. Divide them evenly among the pots you have prepared. Leave a few centimeters free at the top of the pots.
2. Pour the brine liquid into the jars. Pour the brine solution over the beets to within an inch of the top of each jar. It is important to leave some space at the top of the pot to avoid creating too much pressure there. Put the lids on the jars and twist or click them.
   • If you see air bubbles in a jar, tap the bottom of the jar gently to make them float to the top and burst.
3. Let the jars cool completely. Put them on the counter and let them cool overnight before putting them away.
4. Leave the beets in the brine for at least a week before opening a jar. During that time, the brine will soak into the beets, improving the flavor and changing the texture. After that week, you can start enjoying your beets whenever you want.
   • Beets preserved in this way will keep for up to three months in a cool, dark place.
   • Once opened, you can keep it in the fridge.

Tips

• Keep your pickled beetroot in a clean and dry place.