Pickled Beets Are Easy to Make at Home With This Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use pickled beets for? ›

Serve pickled beets as a side dish sprinkled with a little feta cheese. Add pickled beets to your favorite salad. Chop pickled beets and combine them with cabbage, carrots, garlic, and vinegar to make a tangy garnish. Slice pickled beets and layer with hardboiled eggs to make a pickled beet sandwich.

No need to wait to enjoy your pickled beets. They're ready to eat as soon as they've cooled down, however, the longer you wait, the better their flavor. Give them at least a week or two.

In a large pot cook the unpeeled beets until fork-tender (do not overcook) cool and then remove the skins. Slice into about 1/4-inch thick or cut into cubes. Pack snuggly into the canning jars (be careful not to bruise).

Deep red or gold beet varieties provide the most robust flavors, more vibrant juices, and more tender pickled beets. As you embark on the pickled beets adventure, try some of these tried and true beet varieties to grow: 'Detroit Dark Red' 'Ruby Queen'

Pickled beets are naturally rich in nitrates, which your body converts into nitric oxide. This molecule helps blood vessels dilate, which protects against high blood pressure ( 8 ). Research suggests that beet products can lower blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg.

The answer is yes! Pickled beets can offer several potential health benefits. If you want to boost your fiber intake or get more antioxidants in your diet, pickled beets may be a good option. Just remember to watch your sodium intake, as some brands of pickled beets can be high in sodium.

Pickled beets are a shelf-stable alternative to fresh beets, and are rich in iron, calcium, and potassium. An ancient athlete diet consisted of beets, as they've been long known as a powerhouse in the “superfood” category. Athletes to this day consume beet juice for performance improvement and endurance.

Sliced Pickled Beets make a quick side dish served warm or chilled. Sprinkle with fresh herbs to dress them up for company.

Their “earthy” flavor comes from a compound called geosmin, which is also the same compound that we associate with the smell of “fresh rain” and “forest soil”. Some people are much more sensitive to this compound than others, that is why some people say they taste like dirt, and others love them.

Aunt Nellie's is sweeter (High Fructose Corn Syrup), so I don't use the syrup for pickled eggs like I do with the home canned beets. I wish Aunt Nellie's used white sugar instead of HFCS but there's good news: the pickled beets contain no fat, saturated fat or cholesterol. They are kosher and gluten-free.

Do pickled beets have to be pressure canned? ›

Scientifically research tested recipes use more than ½ cup vinegar per pint jar. Pickled beets are safe to process in a boiling water bath or atmospheric steam canner. The USDA recommends processing pickled beets in boiling water for 30 minutes.

You can also add a tsp of salt to your jars with the beets. This is totally optional, it doesn't affect the safety, just the taste when you open the jars. I pretty much always add the salt when I'm canning vegetables. So if you'd like to add the salt, do 1 tsp for quarts or 1/2 tsp for pints.

This acidity slows down the process of decay and prolongs the lifespan, but it doesn't make fresh foods last forever. To enjoy them at their best and freshest, store your pickled beets in the refrigerator and plan to use them within a maximum of three months, or ideally within several weeks.

Red beets may lose color if overcooked or over-processed before canning. Blakeslee said some color changes can be prevented. “When canning apples or peaches, the color can be protected by using ascorbic acid, which prevents the food from turning brown,” Blakeslee said.

What is the difference between canned beets and pickled beets? Pickled beets are canned in some type of vinegar solution and are usually used in salads. These beets are not pickled, just canned in water, and the ingredients are very basic.

Pickled beets provide 12 milligrams of calcium per half cup. Calcium helps muscles contract, which supports ‌blood vessels tightening and relaxing‌ as needed for blood pressure control. ‌Magnesium‌ in pickled beets also assists with ‌muscle and nerve function‌ and helps blood vessels relax.

Simply drain the pickled beets from the jar and toss them into your favorite salad mix.

To enjoy them at their best and freshest, store your pickled beets in the refrigerator and plan to use them within a maximum of three months, or ideally within several weeks. Always keep an eye out for signs they've passed their prime before that though.

You can include them in salads, such as a beet and goat cheese salad or a mixed greens salad. They also work well in soups, stews, and sandwiches. Additionally, you can blend them into a smoothie or even use them as a topping for pizza. The possibilities are endless, so feel free to get creative with your canned beets!