Humans have been pickling since as far back as 2400 B.C. if you can believe it. If you want to extend the life of your produce, do like our ancestors and pickle it. Because we have refrigeration, it’s not necessary to make it shelf stable if you’re going to eat it within the next few weeks. Quicker, easier and you can enjoy it right away.
Here’s a great Pickled Beet recipe we adapted from Chris Shlesinger’s must-have book, “Quick Pickles: Easy Recipes with Big Flavors.”
Red Wine Pickled Beets – yields about 4 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs beets (about 5 medium), boiled until tender (about 25 minutes), peeled and sliced into coins
- 1/4 cup orange zest
- 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup dry red wine
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp whole allspice berries
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 cup peeled & grated horseradish (fresh is best but jarred is fine)
- 2 tsp sea salt
- ground pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Get your cleaned jars and lids ready to go (4 or 5 4-oz jars should do it)
- Put your beet slices in the jars
- Add all ingredients except beets to a sauce pan, bring to a boil, simmer or 3 minutes and pour over your beets
- Let cool, add lids, and refrigerate. That’s it! They will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks but you’ll surely eat them up before then. Try in salads with goat cheese and greens, on a cheese plate, on a burger or tuna sandwich, or simply snack on them — beets are a superfood and can help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, support digestive health, and enhance brain function!