Bottled Beetroot

Beetroot

If I had a list of vegetables that everyone should grow in their backyard Vegetable Patch, beetroot would be on it. It is easily grown and you can eat it in lots of ways. When I was growing up the only way it came was sliced and pickled in a Watties can – used in a cold salad or on a hamburger.  Now you can juice it, roast it, pickle it, make relish, make a delicious salad with raw grated beetroot, have it hot and even make it into a chocolate cake. You can add the leaves to your salad and cook any baby thinnings you may have. You may know more ways and if you do then I am sure you will agree with me that it is a must have for the garden.  Here is a basic way to bottle beetroot.

Bottled Beetroot.

This is a traditional and easy method to bottle beetroot - delicious with salads. You can add pickling spices if you prefer a spicier version but this is a good starting point.

Wash and trim 6-8 beetoot but don’t peel. Put into a pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender.

Drain but reserve one cup of the cooking water.

Once cool enough to handle rub off skins under the cold tap.

Slice beetroot.

Meanwhile in your preserving pan, add the following.

1 cup water you cooked the beetroot in.

2 cups malt vinegar

2 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar (or white if you don’t have brown)

Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the sliced beetroot, bring back to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes or so until the beetroot is heated through. 

Pack into sterilized jars and seal. Use a slotted spoon to get out the slices to pack and then carefully pour the hot liquid onto them.