Pickled Beets

Makes 3 cups

Recipe from https://whitneybond.com/

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Pickled beets are packed with vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. This quick-pickle refrigerator recipe is easy to prep, so you can be adding Pickled Beets to your meals in no time. I save time and trouble by steaming the beets in the Instant Pot.  (Instructions below the recipe.)

Ingredients

1 pound beets, steamed and peeled**

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon salt

***See below for other additions for even more flavor.

Instructions

In a medium saucepan on the stove, bring the apple cider vinegar, water, maple syrup and salt to a boil. Whisk the mixture together and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Pour the vinegar brine over the beets and place a lid on the container. Let the beets pickle in the vinegar mixture at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.  I thought the pickled beets tasted more flavorful after several days in the fridge.

Notes:

To make this pickled beet recipe really easy, purchase peeled steamed beets at the grocery store. You can usually find them in the refrigerator, in the produce section, near the bagged salads and refrigerated salad dressings. This will reduce your prep time. You can also steam the beets ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for up to 7 days before making the pickled beets.

These pickled beets will stay good in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Label the jars with the date that you made them. Do not drain the liquid from the beets anytime during this 6 weeks. The pickling liquid is what preserves the beets and keeps them from spoiling.

After eating all of the pickled beets, don’t throw out the brining liquid! Instead, prepare and peel 6 hard boiled eggs, then add them to the brining liquid in the jar for 24 hours. Remove the eggs from the jar and make deviled eggs. The outside of the eggs will turn a bright pink color and create a visually stunning dish for Easter, picnics or parties.

**Instant Pot Steamed Beets: 

Place 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot.  Add the steamer basket.  Scrub the beets clean.  Add them to the steamer basket. If the whole beets are large, pressure cook from 20-25 minutes.  If the whole beets are small, pressure cook for 10-12 minutes. Quick release the pressure.  (If the a knife doesn’t easily pierce the beets, put the Instant Pot lid back on and pressure cook for a few more minutes.)  Use tongs to remove the beets from the Instant Pot steamer basket. Run them under cold water, then use your hands to peel the beets. (I used gloves for this task so my fingers don’t turn red.) The skin of the beets will easily slide off after they’re steamed. Once the steamed beets are cooled, dice the them into 1 inch cubes and add them to a large mason jar or smaller jars.

***You can add any of the following to enhance the flavor of the pickled beets:  (The underlined additions were the ones I used and the beets tasted really good to us.)

Bay Leaf; Fresh Garlic Slices; 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns; Fresh Thyme; Fresh Dill; Fresh Basil; Fresh Cilantro; Red Pepper Flakes; Sliced Jalapeños; Mustard Seeds; Dill Seeds; Whole Cloves; Cinnamon Stick