Sweet Pickled Beetroot: Grandma’s Recipe

Did your flourishing veggie garden give a lot of beetroots this season? So you have a whole bunch of them which you can’t consume in days? Worry not, you’ll be saving your harvest to the last beetroot, savoring every last bite of it without getting bored! Yes, sweet pickled beetroot is what we’re talking about. 

Beetroot: Nutrition Facts

Although commonly called beetroots, red beet, garden beet, table beet, and beet are also names of the same vegetable. Other than their rich color, beetroots are very nutritious root vegetables. They’re packed with fibers, potassium, iron, manganese, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B9. 

Athletes are especially fond of beetroots since it improves stamina and performance. Other than that, it also lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow. Consume them raw, cooked, or pickled and enjoy the bundle of health benefits that come with it. 

How To Prepare Sweet Pickled Beetroot

Pickling beetroots is an excellent way to preserve surplus beetroot and enjoy them as a delicious side dish to your meals for months. Complement pork chops, poached chicken, stir-fries, or any other dish with sweet pickled beetroot and see how it uplifts the presentation and the flavors!

Cutting to the chase – here’s the simplest grandma-style recipe that has been used for ages and promises the same great taste every time! 

 

Serving Suggestions For Pickled Beets

Pickled beets can easily lift up a boring meal. They liven up its appearance with the deep magenta color and bring a strong flavor to it. You can add it to salads or present it on its own as a classic side dish. They work exceptionally well in coleslaw. Alternatively, you can combine it with feta cheese, fresh greens, and cooked shrimp for a bright, fresh salad.

Pickled beets make an excellent side to sandwiches, roasts, and other main dishes. Their sweet, tangy flavor can bring a spark to any dish. They also make a delicious snack to eat straight out of the jar!

Sweet Pickled Beetroot Recipe

Preparation Time: 3 hours

Yield: 10 1-pint jars

Ingredients

• 10 pounds beetroots
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 quart vinegar
• 1 tablespoon allspice
• 2 tablespoon whole cloves
• Pint jars with covers

Method

1. Place the beetroots in a large pot filled with water and bring it to boil. Cook them on low flame until tender. It may take about 30-40 minutes if the beetroots are large. 
2. Save 2 cups of beet water for later, draining the rest of it. 
3. Let the beets cool before peeling them and cutting them into ½-inch pieces. Leave the smaller beets whole. 
4. Immerse the pint jars and lids in boiling water. Leave them to boil for at least 10 minutes to sterilize them. 
5. Fill the sterilized jars with beet pieces and whole cloves. 
6. Add vinegar, salt, sugar, allspice, and beet water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add the hot brine to beet jars, leaving about ½-inch empty space from the rim. Fix the lids.
8. Place a rack at the base of a large pot. Add water until the pot is half full. Bring the water to boil and carefully place the jars over the rack using tongs. The jars shouldn’t come in contact with each other. Furthermore, they should be completely immersed in boiling water. If they’re not, add more water until it’s at least an inch above the jar covers.
9. Once the water boils, cover the pot and process that jars for 10 minutes. 
10. Remove the jars using tongs and leave them to cool on the counter for 24 hours. Lay a cloth over the counter before placing the hot jars on top.

How long does it last?

Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dry place for a year. Once a jar is opened, transfer it to the refrigerator and use it within 6 weeks. 

Pickling Tips for Beetroots

You’ve already learned how to pickle beetroot in sweet vinegar. Here are some additional tips that’ll prove useful for the recipe:

• Make sure your beetroots are soft before you slice them. Separate small and large beetroots in separate pots before boiling them so they cook perfectly; we don’t want undercooked or overcooked beetroots.
• Remember to remove the rubber seals from the jars before sterilizing them.
• Don’t leave more than a half-inch empty space in the jars. This will help preserve them for longer. 

Health Benefits Of Pickled Beets

Beets are very nutritious. When pickled in vinegar, they still offer many health benefits. Though pickling causes a small loss of nutrients and you may not get as much nutrients from them as you would from fresh beets, it’s still healthy.

Vinegar used in the preparation of pickled beets can help manage blood sugar levels. Pickled beets are a good source of potassium, iron and calcium. They also offer some vitamins and minerals. These nutrients help give you energy, support your immune system, build and repair tissues and bones.

There’s proof that pickled beets can reduce the chances of certain types of cancers. The probiotic, Lactobacillus plantarum, found in pickled beets can fight against oral cancer cells and leukemia. Additionally, consuming pickled beets regularly keeps your digestive health in check and prevents inflammatory diseases. It also helps build your immune system.

Possible Downsides

Pickled beetroots, similar to fresh beets, may change the color of the urine to pink or red. However, this is just a visible side effect of the vegetable. It does not pose any damage to your health. 

Homemade pickled beetroot does not pose any serious health problems. However, if you plan on purchasing store-bought varieties, you may want to check the ingredients to be sure. When choosing packaged pickled beetroot, go for the ones prepared via natural fermentation. Make sure that the vinegar used in the ingredients is raw and unpasteurized. 

Pickled beetroot contain salt and added sugar, as you’ve seen in the recipe. Excessive salt and sugar intake is not good for your health, and may increase the risks for diseases such as diabetes, and heart problems. It’s important to keep your consumption of pickled beets under

Conclusion

See how easy it is to pickle beetroots? With just a little bit of effort, you have beautiful jars you can give away as gifts to your neighbors and family. Make sure you keep a bunch of them for yourself since this sweet pickled beetroot is nothing short of an addiction!