The Damsel doesn’t understand why, but the people at her cottage are pickled-beet crazy. Big, little, young, old, they all love them. What can this mean?
The only thing the Damsel likes about beets is that they are sort of purple. Even so, she pickles the little devils for the rest of the weirdos in the family.
It’s pretty easy. Starting from scratch, by which she means beets that have been freshly pulled out of the garden, you wash them, hack off the tops leaving a couple of inches, and leave the root intact. If the beets are young, save the greens for eating…just steam them like spinach. The Damsel likes to use little beets–golf ball size or so–but you can cut large ones into quarters if you need to. (If you use canned beets, skip to the part about making a vinegar-spice mixture)
Put the beets in a pot with a bunch of water. Pour in a glug of vinegar (it’s said it preserves their color) and cook for about 30 minutes, until fork tender.
Now trim off both the stem end and root end, and sort of rub the thing between your fingers under running water. The skin should slip off. Purple beet liquid will abound. Don’t get it on your new shirt from American Eagle. People actually use beet as a natural dye, so it’s tricky to get out. (Bleach works.)
For about 3 quarts of beets, measure 3 1/2 cups of vinegar into a pot. (Same pot as before if you want–just rinse it out) You can half or double the recipe if you need. And no, it’s not necessary to have tortilla strips right there handy but sometimes it helps.
Throw in two cinnamon sticks, feeling fancy and gourmet as you do so.
And a tablespoon of whole allspice. The Damsel has used powdered allspice, but the fancy-gourmet feeling was significantly less. Now 2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 1/2 cups water and oh, yeah, the beets. Let simmer for 5 minutes or so.
Scoop the beets into a container such as a canning jar. If you have large pieces, put them in first, then fill in with smaller ones, so more will fit.
Pour in the vinegar-spice cooking liquid until the beets are submerged. You can throw away the cinnamon sticks, but the whole allspice can go right in with the beets. Fancy! Cover and wait a day or so before eating. Keep them in the fridge unless you want to process them in a canner by waterbathing for 30 minutes.
This is a very cool two-quart canning jar, like you don’t see around much anymore. The Damsel loves this jar, even if it has pickled beets in it.
For some reason, the Knight in Shining Armor must have a bite of pickled beet along with every bite of pork. He thinks he got hooked on this habit in Denmark when he was a missionary there. But how does that explain the sprogs liking them too? The Damsel feels so alone.
Pickled beets are absolutely gorgeous to look at. I love the color. And I prefer looking, rather than actually eating them. Because: ew.
I giggle everytime I read your posts!
I love your wording! That’s for making my days.
I believe I could do this! I just need to acquire a plethora of beets…
Yes, thanks for the giggles. Shh…I like pickled beets too. But not with tortilla strips.
Glad you’re feeling better Damsel. But not so glad I’ll eat beets.
I just can’t do it.
Yay! I’m not alone!
A like-minded soul!
Hi, glad you are feeling better! Did Sprog #6 tell you I called? I think you were out being courted….
Beets, Bears, Battlestar Galactica.
@Carol What?! We’ve been married almost ten years and I never knew you liked pickled beets. #christmaspresent
Damsel dear,
my favorite school is the OLD SCHOOL! way to keep it real!! xxoo
now since I too only love to look at pickled beets (or pickled anything!) but I do want to eat more beets so…. Hows about a way & recipe to make beets just for eating? I have seen and tasted some kind of grated beets in my salad at the vegan restaurant and they sure taste better than pickled beets! they’re chewy like lettuce, but not too chewy, sorta crunchy.. are they cooked the same way as here but then just grated and refrigerated?
Recipe for winter-wise:
I would LOVE a tastey beet&turnip based winter soup that I could add beans and other goodies too!!
thanks! Vee Laroux
Mmm. Sprog love beets. Yes. MMM.
mm sprog must give damsel picture mm.
Sprouses like ‘em too!
I make pickled beets too…just love them. Don’t last very long in my house, especially when in-laws and mom take them from my pantry.
I have to be in a mood for pickled beets, and no one around here eats them, so……..
but I did grow up w/ pickled beets and pickled hard boiled eggs. Odd but one of ‘old’ things. the eggs turn a nice pink color. I did write about them here:
http://muumsmusings.blogspot.com/2007/10/pickled-beets-and-pickled-eggs.html
Love it! You da man, well, sort of.