Description
This Pickled Beets recipe offers a vibrant and tangy side dish featuring tender beets simmered in a sweet and spiced apple cider vinegar brine. Easy to prepare and perfect for enhancing salads, sandwiches, or as a flavorful accompaniment, these refrigerator pickled beets improve in taste after a few days and can be stored for up to three weeks in the fridge.
Ingredients
Scale
Beets
- 2 pounds fresh beets, trimmed and scrubbed
Pickling Brine
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the Beets: Place the trimmed and scrubbed beets in a large pot and cover them completely with water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the beets for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces through the beets, indicating they are tender.
- Cool and Peel: Drain the beets and allow them to cool slightly until they are easy to handle. Peel off the skins using your hands or a knife, then slice or cube the beets according to your preferred size for pickling.
- Prepare the Pickling Brine: In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider vinegar, water, granulated sugar, salt, black peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon stick if using. Add the thinly sliced yellow onion if desired for added flavor. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
- Simmer Beets in Brine: Add the peeled and sliced/cubed beets to the boiling vinegar mixture. Let the beets simmer gently for 5 minutes to infuse them with the pickling flavors.
- Cool and Store: Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the beets and brine to cool slightly. Transfer the beets along with the pickling liquid to clean jars or containers, ensuring the beets are fully submerged in the liquid. Seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop fully.
Notes
- Pickled beets improve in flavor after a few days in the refrigerator, so for best taste, let them sit for 2-3 days before consuming.
- These pickled beets are refrigerator pickled and not shelf-stable, so do not process them for canning.
- Store refrigerated and consume within 3 weeks for optimal freshness and safety.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
