This summer, I’m happy to announce that I’ve teamed up with Ball Canning, maker of the beloved and ubiquitous mason jars, as an official ambassador!
Being an avid user and longtime lover of their jars (who isn’t these days?) means I’m thrilled to be joining their campaign and helping to educate and encourage others on the joys of jamming, pickling, and other methods of food preserving.
We’re cooking up (er, canning) a series of bold, colorful recipes for their new Tumblr page, Freshly Preserved Ideas, as well as their annual pinnacle event, International Can-It-Forward Day. I’ll be sharing my recipes and more details on the event all summer long, so stay tuned. (Update: You can find my Facebook Live broadcast from International Can-It-Forward Day right here!)
To kick off the campaign, I’ve got an easy pickling recipe for those who are new to preserving — no boiling water bath needed!
The inspiration came from my own garden with this beautiful crop of Chioggia and golden heirloom beets.
When it comes to beets, there are two types of people: those that love ’em, and those that hate ’em. But these quick pickled beets are certain to be loved by even the biggest skeptic.
Any variety will work for this recipe, but keep in mind that dark red beets will color your brine accordingly.
First I roast them to bring out their natural sweetness, then I submerge them in a punchy brine. The result is a pickle you can eat straight from the jar, toss with a salad or serve as a side dish. (Try it with all those smoky meats coming off your grill this summer!)
Though the pickles are ready the next day, I recommend waiting at least three days for the flavor to fully develop.
Check out the full recipe on Freshly Preserved Ideas or keep scrolling to learn how to make your own.
Quick Pickled Roasted Beets
Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients
8 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
2 sprigs rosemary
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Making Quick Pickled Roasted Beets
Preheat the oven to 400°.
In a large baking dish, toss the beets and rosemary with oil. Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for about 45 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender.
When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off with your fingers and cut the beets into slices or wedges.
Pack the beets into two clean quart jars. Divide the peppercorns and bay leaves and add them to each jar.
Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the granules are dissolved.
Pour the hot brine over the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Seal the jars, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight before serving.
The beets will continue to improve in flavor the longer they sit in the brine.
Quick Pickled Roasted Beets
This pickle recipe requires no boiling water bath canning, making it the perfect introduction to food preserving for newbies. Roasting makes the beets naturally sweet, and submerging them in a punchy brine gives them an addictive sweet 'n sour flavor.
Ingredients
- 8 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large baking dish, toss the beets and rosemary with oil. Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for about 45 minutes, or until the beets are fork tender.
- When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off with your fingers and cut the beets into slices or wedges.
- Pack the beets into two clean quart jars. Divide the peppercorns and bay leaves and add them to each jar.
- Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the granules are dissolved.
- Pour the hot brine over the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Seal the jars, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight before serving.
Notes
The beets will continue to improve in flavor the longer they sit in the brine.
2 quarts would be too much for me and 1 pint would be much better. Can I just reduce this by four do you think?
Awesome! How long will they last in the jar?
A safe answer is 2 weeks in the fridge. (But to be honest, I’ve kept a jar of pickles for 2 months and it’s still good with no decline in quality; I store it in the back of the shelf and my fridge is extra cold.)
This article is so well timed. I just had pickled beets on a lovely cheese board at a local cidery yesterday and thought they would be a nice thing to have on hand. I like that you suggest roasting them first as the sweetness helps balance the vinegar.
Pickled beets on a cheese board is one of my favorite ways to eat them! I also like them in a salad with kale/arugula, tomato, apple, and pepitas – it’s a great balance of bitter, sweet, and earthy.