The Late Night Gourmet
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I’ve never been a fan of overly sweet pickled beets. The only kind I like less are the bland, tasteless ones I usually get on Greek salads served by less authentic restaurants around here.
I’m surprised by how many beet pickling recipes call for massive amounts of sugar. They apparently don’t know that 60% of the table sugar in the States is made...FROM BEETS! Beets already have enough sweetness. The main reason I add the small amount of sugar I use is because I feel it adds balance: salt is added to balance sweet recipes, after all.
Apologies about no pictures. I will add them when I make this again (hopefully soon).
Ingredients
3 pounds beets, all of about the same size
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 red onion, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1/4 cup preserved lemon
Directions
1. Remove leaves from beets and reserve for another use. Peel beets, but otherwise leave whole. Add beets to a large pot with enough water to completely cover the beets.
2. Raise heat to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Heat beets for 30-40 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Beets of the same size should cook at the same rate; check the small ones first if the sizes are significantly different. Continue cooking if needed until cooked, but don’t let them get mushy.
3. Remove beets from water, but save the beet water. Allow beets to cool. Cut beets into slices of about the same thickness. I used a mandolin, and cut mine to 3 mm thickness.
4. In a separate pot, mix the vinegar with an equal amount of beet water. Raise heat to medium, and blend in salt and sugar. Heat until dissolved, then remove from heat.
5. Place remaining ingredients in the bottom of a large jar. If using more than one jar, split the remaining ingredients equally. Place beet slices in the jar. Pour vinegar/water mix in the jar until beet slices are completely covered. If needed, add some of the remaining beet water. Seal the jar.
6. Allow the jar to cool to room temperature. Turn jar upside down, and give the jar a shake to distribute the ingredients. Store in refrigerator. The flavor will start to develop overnight, and will improve with each day.
I’m surprised by how many beet pickling recipes call for massive amounts of sugar. They apparently don’t know that 60% of the table sugar in the States is made...FROM BEETS! Beets already have enough sweetness. The main reason I add the small amount of sugar I use is because I feel it adds balance: salt is added to balance sweet recipes, after all.
Apologies about no pictures. I will add them when I make this again (hopefully soon).
Ingredients
3 pounds beets, all of about the same size
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 red onion, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1/4 cup preserved lemon
Directions
1. Remove leaves from beets and reserve for another use. Peel beets, but otherwise leave whole. Add beets to a large pot with enough water to completely cover the beets.
2. Raise heat to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Heat beets for 30-40 minutes, until a fork can easily pierce the flesh. Beets of the same size should cook at the same rate; check the small ones first if the sizes are significantly different. Continue cooking if needed until cooked, but don’t let them get mushy.
3. Remove beets from water, but save the beet water. Allow beets to cool. Cut beets into slices of about the same thickness. I used a mandolin, and cut mine to 3 mm thickness.
4. In a separate pot, mix the vinegar with an equal amount of beet water. Raise heat to medium, and blend in salt and sugar. Heat until dissolved, then remove from heat.
5. Place remaining ingredients in the bottom of a large jar. If using more than one jar, split the remaining ingredients equally. Place beet slices in the jar. Pour vinegar/water mix in the jar until beet slices are completely covered. If needed, add some of the remaining beet water. Seal the jar.
6. Allow the jar to cool to room temperature. Turn jar upside down, and give the jar a shake to distribute the ingredients. Store in refrigerator. The flavor will start to develop overnight, and will improve with each day.
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