Maggie's Newfoundland Pickled Beets
Pickled Beets are a Newfoundland specialty served with the vegetables in a cooked dinner. Sweet and sour with a hint of spice, these make a wonderful complement to dinner.
Pickles are a favourite Newfoundland condiment and Pickled Beets rank right up there in the top ten percent. I suppose just about every kitchen cupboard or refrigerator shelf has a jar or two sitting there waiting to be eaten with a cooked dinner or made into a Beet Salad. And if they aren't in the cupboard they're on the grocery list. (I know, I know, not all Newfoundlanders eat pickled beets, but most do!)
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| Pickled Beets are on the lower right side of the plate. This boy likes his dinner. |
This time of the year, as fresh beets come on the market, I have a hunt through my pantry shelves to see how many bottles of beets I have left from last year. I like to make my own pickled beets as do many home cooks throughout the province. They taste so much better than the bottled beets on the grocery store shelves and I can add a few optional ingredients for variety. It is a somewhat time consuming process and a messy one, too, but it is so worth it to have home bottled pickled beets on the pantry shelf ready to make any dinner a special occasion. Nothing says "I love you" like homemade.
If you can get good fresh bunches of beets with the tops intact, get those and cook the beet greens for a meal. I bought a 10 pound bag with the tops removed so I wasn't able to have a good feed of beet greens. Ten pounds of beets should yield ten 500 ml (pint) jars of pickled beets. I made nine jars because I cooked some of the beets and we ate them fresh with a little butter.☺
The recipe I use is Maggie's Pickled Beets. Maggie is a wonderful cook and made her own pickled beets for years. When I was looking for a good recipe, I knew who to ask and I wasn't disappointed. Even though they are called "plain" these are some of the tastiest beets you will eat. They are just sweet and sour enough with a hint of spice. Maggie also had a "spiced" version which I reserve for special meals like Christmas or birthdays. I make most of the beets plain and a few bottles of the spiced ones. I also put a few slices of onion in the spiced beets.
The recipe (either plain or spiced) makes enough to fill about 7 bottles of beet so if you are doing up ten pounds of beets, make the pickling liquid one and a half times.
You will need canning jars, lids and rings to preserve the beets in a boiling water bath. If you don't have a canner with a bottle rack, a large covered pot, deep enough to hold the bottles will do. You will need to place a trivet or something in the bottom to hold the jars off the bottom of the pot while everything is boiling. Pickled Beets preserved in this method should last 1 year (if not longer) on the shelf.
Spiced
Prepare the jars: Wash 7- 500 ml (pint) jars in hot soapy water. Rinse and place in a large pot with a trivet on the bottom. Cover with water and gently boil jars for 10 minutes. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
Prepare Lids: Place 7 snap lids in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer but do not boil. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
Prepare Pickling Liquid: In a medium pot combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and spice(s). Bring to a simmer over medium heat and keep hot until ready to use. Use while hot to cover beets in jars.
Prepare Beets: Cut beet tops off, if they have any. Do not peel the beets. Wash beets to remove any loose dirt and place in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until tender about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets. When cooked, let cool for a few minutes and then cut off the top and bottom of each beet and then slip off the peels. A pair of latex or plastic gloves will keep your hand and nails from staining. Cut each beet in cubes or slices. While warm, place prepared beets in sterilized bottles.
Process Beets: Completely cover the beets with the hot pickling liquid to within half an inch from the top. Remove any air bubbles with a plastic knife. Run the knife down the side of the jars to dislodge any air bubbles. Wipe each jar rim to remove any dripped juice or bits of beet. Centre hot snap lids on clean jar rim. Screw band down until fingertip tight. Place filled and covered jars in rack in canner. Lower rack into hot water. Cover jars with at least 1-inch of hot water. Cover canner and bring water to a gentle boil. Process (boil) jars for 30 minutes.
When finished processing, let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes then remove from hot water and let rest on cloth covered surface. As the jars cool you will hear a little "ping" sound as the lids are sucked downward. This means your lids have sealed. Leave jars, undisturbed for 24 hours. When ready to store, wipe jars with a wet cloth to remove any sticky residue. You may remove the screw band but do not tighten them as that may unseal the lids. Store in a cool dark place such as a pantry or cupboard shelf.
Warning: If a lid does not seal on a jar after processing, refrigerate that jar and use as you would an opened bottle of beets. Do not place unsealed jars on a cupboard shelf.
Makes 7- 500ml (pint) bottles of beets.
Because this is such a lengthy recipe I've gone through the instructions again, with the pictures, in the same detail as above.
Prepare the jars: Wash 7- 500 ml (pint) jars in
hot soapy water. Rinse and place in a large pot with a trivet on the
bottom. Cover with water and gently boil jars for 10 minutes. Leave in
hot water until ready to use.
Prepare Lids:
Place 7 snap lids in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a
simmer but do not boil. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
Prepare Pickling Liquid: In a medium pot combine
the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and spice(s). Bring to a simmer over
medium heat and keep hot until ready to use. Use while hot to cover
beets in jars.
Prepare Beets: Cut beet tops off, if they have
any. Do not peel the beets. Wash beets to remove any loose dirt and
place in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over
medium heat until tender about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of
the beets.
When cooked, let cool for a few minutes and then cut off
the top and bottom of each beet and then slip off the peels. A pair of
latex or plastic gloves will keep your hand and nails from staining.
Cut each beet in cubes or slices. While warm, place prepared beets in
sterilized bottles.
When I make the Spiced Beets I usually put in a few slices of onion in the bottle before filling with the pickling liquid.
Completely cover the beets with the hot pickling
liquid to within half an inch from the top. Remove any air bubbles with a plastic knife. Run the knife down the side of the jars to dislodge any air bubbles. Wipe each jar rim to remove
any dripped juice or bits of beet. Centre hot snap lids on clean
jar rim. Screw band down until fingertip tight. Place filled and
covered jars in rack in canner. Lower rack into hot water. Cover jars
with at least 1-inch of hot water. Cover canner and bring water to a
gentle boil. Process beets for 30 minutes.
When finished processing, let jars rest in the water for 5
minutes then remove from hot water and let rest on cloth covered
surface. As the jars cool you will hear a little "ping" sound as the
lids are sucked downward. This means your lids have sealed. Leave
jars, undisturbed for 24 hours. When ready to store, wipe jars with a
wet cloth to remove any sticky residue. You may remove the screw band
but do not tighten the as that may unseal the lids. Store in a cool
dark place such as a pantry or cupboard shelf.
This is one of the bottles of Spiced Beets with Onion. I left the small beets whole. They should make a tasty condiment come Christmas.
If you can get good fresh bunches of beets with the tops intact, get those and cook the beet greens for a meal. I bought a 10 pound bag with the tops removed so I wasn't able to have a good feed of beet greens. Ten pounds of beets should yield ten 500 ml (pint) jars of pickled beets. I made nine jars because I cooked some of the beets and we ate them fresh with a little butter.☺
In loving memory of Margaret (Maggie) Maria Langdon 1925-2016.
The recipe I use is Maggie's Pickled Beets. Maggie is a wonderful cook and made her own pickled beets for years. When I was looking for a good recipe, I knew who to ask and I wasn't disappointed. Even though they are called "plain" these are some of the tastiest beets you will eat. They are just sweet and sour enough with a hint of spice. Maggie also had a "spiced" version which I reserve for special meals like Christmas or birthdays. I make most of the beets plain and a few bottles of the spiced ones. I also put a few slices of onion in the spiced beets.
The recipe (either plain or spiced) makes enough to fill about 7 bottles of beet so if you are doing up ten pounds of beets, make the pickling liquid one and a half times. You will need canning jars, lids and rings to preserve the beets in a boiling water bath. If you don't have a canner with a bottle rack, a large covered pot, deep enough to hold the bottles will do. You will need to place a trivet or something in the bottom to hold the jars off the bottom of the pot while everything is boiling. Pickled Beets preserved in this method should last 1 year (if not longer) on the shelf.
Printable recipe at end of post.
Maggie’s Pickled Beets- 7 pounds fresh beets, tops removed
- 3 cups vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- Sliced onions, optional
Spiced
- 3 cups vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon allspice
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoons cloves
- Sliced onions, optional
Prepare the jars: Wash 7- 500 ml (pint) jars in hot soapy water. Rinse and place in a large pot with a trivet on the bottom. Cover with water and gently boil jars for 10 minutes. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
Prepare Lids: Place 7 snap lids in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer but do not boil. Leave in hot water until ready to use.
Prepare Pickling Liquid: In a medium pot combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and spice(s). Bring to a simmer over medium heat and keep hot until ready to use. Use while hot to cover beets in jars.
Prepare Beets: Cut beet tops off, if they have any. Do not peel the beets. Wash beets to remove any loose dirt and place in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until tender about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets. When cooked, let cool for a few minutes and then cut off the top and bottom of each beet and then slip off the peels. A pair of latex or plastic gloves will keep your hand and nails from staining. Cut each beet in cubes or slices. While warm, place prepared beets in sterilized bottles.
Process Beets: Completely cover the beets with the hot pickling liquid to within half an inch from the top. Remove any air bubbles with a plastic knife. Run the knife down the side of the jars to dislodge any air bubbles. Wipe each jar rim to remove any dripped juice or bits of beet. Centre hot snap lids on clean jar rim. Screw band down until fingertip tight. Place filled and covered jars in rack in canner. Lower rack into hot water. Cover jars with at least 1-inch of hot water. Cover canner and bring water to a gentle boil. Process (boil) jars for 30 minutes.
When finished processing, let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes then remove from hot water and let rest on cloth covered surface. As the jars cool you will hear a little "ping" sound as the lids are sucked downward. This means your lids have sealed. Leave jars, undisturbed for 24 hours. When ready to store, wipe jars with a wet cloth to remove any sticky residue. You may remove the screw band but do not tighten them as that may unseal the lids. Store in a cool dark place such as a pantry or cupboard shelf.
Warning: If a lid does not seal on a jar after processing, refrigerate that jar and use as you would an opened bottle of beets. Do not place unsealed jars on a cupboard shelf.
Makes 7- 500ml (pint) bottles of beets.
Because this is such a lengthy recipe I've gone through the instructions again, with the pictures, in the same detail as above.
Label and date the beets before storing.
Place your jewel-like beets in a pretty serving dish.
Ready for the dinner table.
To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩
Love, love, love it! Your blog, that is!
ReplyDeleteThank you, so much! I love doing it.
DeleteThem look awesome, can't wait to try the recipe. I have a question, how did you get the pickling liquid red? Do you use some of the water from the boiled beets?
ReplyDeleteSorry, I didn't see your comment sooner. The pickling water will turn red from the beets. But you may also use the water from the beets, if you wish.
ReplyDeleteAs I have a longtime farmer friend and she “omits”the part to process in hot water bath in order to complete canning. She says just pour brine into the beets in jars seal and put away. Because of vinegar she says No NEED to put sealed jars into the Hot water.. what do you Think?
ReplyDeleteIt's always good to sterilize the bottles when preparing pickled beets or any pickled item because it removes the bacteria from the bottle and less chance of spoilage over periods of time
DeleteAccording to everything I've read on official government, agricultural and the canning jar companies' sites the jars must be sterilized and the contents (beets in this case) must be water processed. I know many people omit the water bath because of the vinegar but I would rather be safe than sorry, especially if giving some of the jars of beets as gifts.
Delete