Go to the Recipe: Pickled Beets
what would you do if you would want to give this an asian twist?
I would probably try using chinese rice wine vinegar and adding sichuan peppercorns and red chilli flakes to the pickle brine.
About how long are 'quick pickles' like these good for?
They are good for quite a while but will soften for the first 48 hours or so. In the fridge you can store them for many days and still have a very bright flavor.
How many days is many days?
I tried out this recipe a few nights ago and it turned out pretty well! Since I couldn't get my hands on any champagne vinegar I subbed white wine vinegar. Not sure if that was a great idea, given that the beets turned out a bit vinegar-heavy... I'd be interested to see the difference in flavor with champagne vinegar next time around.
Late reply but I agree with Chris...
Here is an idea...
1 qt Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
1 qt Sugar
1 qt Water
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise pods (whole)
6" piece of fresh lemon grass (cut into 2" segments)
2 fresno or serrano chilies (halved)
1 whole bulb of garlic cut open perpendicular to the axis so all cloves are split in half
In a sauce pan place all ingredients and bring just to a boil strring as needed to dissolve sugar. Let cool and use as a multipurpose pickling liquid. Works great with shallots, ramps, turnips, beets, etc.
Late reply but I agree with Chris... Here is an idea...
Its beautiful! Very vibrant!
Hi, I grew up with these. I wouldn't think the type of vinegar makes much of a difference. We used white wine vinegar all the time. We also put a few peppercorns and parsley in the brine. If you think it was too vinegar heavy, just cut back a little on it. Champagne vinegar packs a kick also.
Mary
Why worry? Vegetables go bad in a predictable non dangerous way. When they smell funny, or change texture, stop eating them.
My first batch also turned out too sour (I used homemade white wine vinegar). The second time I only used 100g white vine vinegar and added 30g of lemongrass/mint white balsamic vinegar. It was delicious and gave the beets an interesting twist.
Why did you use Champagne vinegar intead of with wine vinegar or red wine vinegar what it makes different?
the taste.
I was just given some wig antic beets. There are three of them, with a total weight of just over 1kg, how much are you assuming one beet in your recipes weighs?
Wig antic supposed to be gigantic!
Hi Geoffrey! About 200g each.
Am I correctly understanding that none of the pickle (cucumber) recipes are shelf stable?
I do not have the refrigerator space to store large amounts of pickles in jars.
I have had a problem in the past with the pickles being soggy (not crisp).
I was hoping this method would alleviate this soggy problem and still be kept in my cellar.
Unless you bring the pickles to a temperature sufficient for pasteurization and also obtain a proper seal on the container (read: mason jar), your pickles will not be shelf stable. Any instant pickle like the recipe above will last about 2-3 weeks in the fridge. Check out ChefSteps' recipe for shelf stable pickles here, up to 6 months of shelf life: https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/make-crisp-flavor-packed-pickles-on-the-quick
Can the Beets be sliced 1/4 inch thick for pickling?
Thank you for singing the praises of beets and exposing the myths about them! They're so delicious roasted with other root vegetables and potatoes. I will try them in my sous vide!
