If the beets and their tubers more than cover the fresh demand, they have to wait patiently in the vegetable queue for later. In addition to the freezer, a mason jar can also be used as a waiting place. The vinegar bath is good for the earthy-tasting root.

Beetroot can be refined with spices for pickling

The season for fresh tubers

The harvest season for the red tubers runs from September to November. If you sow early in the year, you can even pluck the first specimens from the garden soil in July. The beetroot can be eaten at any stage of growth, but young bulbs are particularly aromatic and tender. They're also popular as pickles. Beetroot season is also the best time to fill jars with this healthy delicacy.

tips

By the way, according to current orthography, beetroot can also be spelled with two “e”. So beetroot and beetroot.

Prepare beetroot

Beets are only placed in the jar when they have been sufficiently cooked through. How to properly prepare the tubers:

  1. Clean the tubers with a vegetable brush under running water.
  2. Place the clean beets in a saucepan and add cold water and a pinch of salt.
  3. Bring the beets to a boil and simmer on low for another 30 minutes. In the case of large tubers, the cooking process can take longer.
  4. The cooking process is complete when the skin comes off easily.
  5. Drain off the cooking water, rinse the tubers in cold water and then allow them to cool.
  6. Peel the beets and cut into chunks, slices or leave whole depending on what the recipe calls for.

tips

Wear food-safe gloves when working with beetroot, because the red juice has a strong coloring effect. The red color can also be easily removed with a squeeze of lemon.

Make your own vinegar

A vinegar decoction keeps the beetroot sour and therefore lasts for a long time. It is prepared similarly for most recipes. The basis is a good vinegar, which is diluted with twice the amount of water. The mild wine vinegar is best suited as an acidifier, but a flavorful balsamic vinegar can also make the beetroot sour. The vinegar is boiled with the specified amount of salt and poured hot over the beetroot, just like grandma used to do in the old days. If the pieces are not only to taste sour, but also sweet and sour, sugar is added to the brew.

Spices, herbs and other ingredients

Pickled beetroot not only likes to be sour or sweet and sour, it also tolerates many other flavors as well. There are therefore numerous recipes that include the following ingredients in the preparation:

  • onions
  • apples
  • ginger
  • horseradish
  • bay leaves
  • cloves
  • peppercorns
  • pimento
  • Orange peel
  • raisins
  • etc.

You can create your own recipes with these ingredients by placing them in the vinegar stock together with the beetroot.

Suitable containers

The best place to stay for pickled beets is in jars. These are acid-resistant, can be closed well and do not affect the taste of the contents. Whether you buy extra glasses in stores or reuse old glasses is up to you. In any case, these must be clean and largely free of germs. However, the temperature in the dishwasher is too low to sterilize the glasses in it.

Boil the jars in water for 10 minutes. Alternatively, sterilization can also take place in the oven at 140 degrees Celsius. Again, the glasses have to withstand the heat for 10 minutes to effectively kill the germs.

Recipe for spicy beetroot like grandma used to make

For one kilogram of beetroot you also need the following ingredients:

  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 bay leaves, chopped into pieces
  • 10 dried cloves
  • 100 grams of sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 700ml of water
  • 350 ml white wine vinegar

If you have more red tubers to process, simply adjust the amount of the remaining ingredients.

preparation

  1. Cook the beets as previously described.
  2. After they have cooled or peeled, cut the bulbs into smaller pieces.
  3. Remove the skin from the onions and cut them into fine rings.
  4. Layer beets and onions alternately in the jars.
  5. Make a vinegar broth from the remaining ingredients.
  6. Fill the glasses with the still hot brew.
  7. Seal the jars and set them on their lids until cool.

storage and shelf life

The sweet and sour pickled beetroot, just like grandma used to make, has a shelf life of several months. However, the glasses must be stored in a cool and dry place. If you want an even longer shelf life, you can also boil the beetroot.

An opened glass belongs in the fridge until the entire content has been consumed. This shouldn't be waited for too long.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Picking time: The harvest season from July to November is also the best time for pickling
  • Suitable tubers: All healthy tubers are suitable, but young tubers are more aromatic and tender
  • The name: beetroot and beetroot, both spelling variants are correct according to the spelling rules
  • Cleaning: Clean the tubers with a vegetable brush under running water.
  • Cooking: Before pickling, beetroot must be boiled in salted water for about 30 minutes
  • Peel: Rinse the cooked beets in cold water, allow to cool and then remove the peel
  • Cutting: The tubers can be left whole or cut into pieces or slices
  • Vinegar: Vinegar makes the beet sour and therefore more durable. Boil the vinegar with twice the amount of water
  • Types of vinegar: Wine vinegar is ideal, but balsamic vinegar, which has an intensive taste, can also be used
  • Sweet and sour: If you like a sweet note, you can add sugar to the brew
  • Possible ingredients: onions, ginger, apples, horseradish, bay leaves, peppercorns, orange peel and many others
  • Suitable containers: Clean and sterile glasses that can be closed airtight
  • Recipe: 1 kg beetroot, 2 medium onions, cut into rings
  • For the brew: 350 ml white wine vinegar, 700 ml water, 100 g sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves, 10 cloves
  • Step 1: Boil tubers, peel and cut into pieces; Boil the rest of the ingredients to make a broth
  • Step 2: Layer beetroot and onion rings in glasses; fill up with hot liquid; close tightly
  • Step 3: Put the jars on the lid and let them cool down; then store in a cool, dry place
  • Shelf life: Pickled beetroot can be kept for several months; opened glasses are stored in the refrigerator.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

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