Simple Pickled Beets

It's that time of year again. When a trip to the garden or farmer's market yields such beautiful produce that it makes you wish it could last and last. Here is one way to prolong some of that harvest by a couple of months, at least.  If they last that long :)

Do you love beet root? I love beets just about any way...boiled, oven-roasted, hot, cold, and of course, pickled. 

 

My all-time most popular post is one I did on refrigerator pickles, a recipe that I got from my mother years ago. It's so simple and so delicious. One of my readers asked if beets could be used instead of cucumbers and I thought, sure, why not?  Using my mother's simple refrigerator pickle brine of sugar, vinegar, water and salt, I replaced the celery seed with a pinch of red pepper flakes for the beets.  Optionally, you could add bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, cloves or switch up the vinegar used, but frankly, I love them prepared very simply, just like this.

I used golden beets just because they're my favorite and because they look so pretty :)  I think they have a slightly more mellow flavor too. They turned out so tasty and delicious pickled this way that I'm sure I will have a jar of these in the refrigerator as long as I can find beautiful, fresh beets.

Of course, use whatever beets you prefer.  Quick, easy and delicious if you're a beet lover like me.  They make a delicious snack or side to any summer meal. Beets are an excellent source of fiber, potassium, calcium and antioxidants so if you don't like red beets, try the more mellow yellow.

Simple Pickled Beets

Printable Recipe

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 cups sliced, cooked beets (I like to use golden beets)

Optional additions to the brine could be cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns but I prefer them with the simple brine.

Slice leaves and most of stems from the beets, leaving about 1 inch of stem. Place beets in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cook over medium heat, covered, over medium heat until just barely tender, about 30-40 minutes. A good test, is to stick a sharp knife into the beet and if it goes partially through but hits some resistance in the center, then it's done enough. Remove from the pan and place on a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, the skin will easily slide off. Remove all skin and slice off the remainder of the stem. Slice beets into quarters, lengthwise, and then into 1/4 inch slices.

Place sliced beets into a large container or jar with lid. In a separate bowl, stir vinegar, sugar, water and salt together until dissolved. Add red pepper flakes. Pour mixture over beets and refrigerate.

These can be eaten after several hours in the refrigerator but taste best in 1-2 days.

Keeps for at least 2 months, refrigerated.