Canned Pickled Beets Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long before you can eat pickled beets after canning? ›

No need to wait to enjoy your pickled beets. They're ready to eat as soon as they've cooled down, however, the longer you wait, the better their flavor. Give them at least a week or two.

Make sure that there is adequate vinegar in your red beet pickle recipe. Scientifically research tested recipes use more than ½ cup vinegar per pint jar. Pickled beets are safe to process in a boiling water bath or atmospheric steam canner. The USDA recommends processing pickled beets in boiling water for 30 minutes.

What is the difference between canned beets and pickled beets? Pickled beets are canned in some type of vinegar solution and are usually used in salads. These beets are not pickled, just canned in water, and the ingredients are very basic.

You can also add a tsp of salt to your jars with the beets. This is totally optional, it doesn't affect the safety, just the taste when you open the jars. I pretty much always add the salt when I'm canning vegetables. So if you'd like to add the salt, do 1 tsp for quarts or 1/2 tsp for pints.

Cooked, fermented, or pickled beets retain much of their nutritious value, although some of the nitrites and other nutrients may be lost during preparation (13, 18, 19, 20). Canned and pickled beets likely contain high amounts of sodium, so if it's heart health you're after, these choices should be limited.

As long as the can is in good shape, the contents should be safe to eat, although the taste, texture and nutritional value of the food can diminish over time. Home canned foods should be used within 1 year.

The pickle will preserve it, but unless you heat it sufficiently there is a risk of bacteria growing in the jar and causing it to ferment and go off, which in extreme cases could mean the jar would explode.

Vinegar Matters

While both white and apple cider vinegar can be used, apple cider will yield the best flavor. Look for brands that are 5% acidity, and avoid unfiltered varieties, which may leave sediment in your beets.

Process pints for 30 minutes and quarts for 35 minutes in a pressure canner, making altitude adjustments as required in the tables here. If you prefer boiling water canning and want to try something with more flavor, then try one of our pickled beet recipes.

Pickled beets also contain small amounts of vitamins and minerals. They are a good source of potassium, calcium, and iron. The micronutrient content of pickled beets varies depending on how the beets were processed. Because pickled beets are fermented, they are rich in probiotics.

Can you drink the beet juice out of canned beets? ›

While not as popular as other canned vegetables like corn or green beans (via USA Today), canned beets are an honorable underdog, and so is their liquid. Plain or salted, you should never get rid of the liquid from canned beets because it is completely edible!

Thus, pickled beets contain lower antioxidant levels than those of other forms of beets (6, 9 ). Beets are also a rich source of nitrates and saponins ( 8 , 6). While nitrates help lower blood pressure and enhance athletic performance, saponins may boost immune and heart health ( 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ).

This recipe calls for 1/3 cup sugar— much less than a lot of pickled beet recipes. The sugar balances with the vinegar. Cutting back any further on the sugar will make the pickles taste too vinegary.

Pickling salt is the best salt to use in canning brine because the fine grains dissolve easily and result in a clear liquid that highlights the bright, green pickles inside the jar. Using table salt in your pickle brine will result in cloudy, murky liquid because the anticaking additives are not water soluble.

Place prepared jars in boiling water bath, making sure water covers jars by at least one inch. Bring back to a boil and process for 30 minutes. Remove jars from kettle using a jar lifter and let cool completely before touching. Soon the lids should seal with a ping – music to a canner's ears!

Label and date your jars and store them in a clean, cool, dark, and dry place such as a pantry, cabinet, or basem*nt. Don't store in a warm spot! To allow pickles to mellow and develop a delicious flavor, wait at least 3 weeks before eating! Keep in mind that pickles may be ready to enjoy earlier.

No special preparation is required for pickled beets. You may eat them directly out of the jar! Most people eat pickled beets chilled or at room temperature.

Remove jars from the stockpot and cool to room temperature, 8 to 12 hours. Test jars for a good seal by pressing on the center of the lid — it should not move. Let green beans ferment for 2 to 3 weeks in a cool, dark space before eating.

You can pickle beetroot for as little as an hour or two, but in order to get the best taste, health benefits, and long shelf life it's best to pickle for at least 2-3 weeks before opening.