PICKLED BEETS

PICKLED BEETS fat-free

You don’t have to go through the entire canning process to make pickled beets. Prep, cook, place in a jar and refrigerate to use as wanted. Here we add sweet onion strips and sweet red pepper. Then as we use the beets, we add other ingredients to the pickling jar, such as matchstick carrots and/or kidney beans (washed and drained). It makes a tasty salad by itself or as a side dish! 

Makes 6 cups

17.6 oz. vacuumed packed whole cooked beets – I used beetology brand; drain, cut off rough ends, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 jumbo sweet onion – cut off ends, cut from end to end into quarters, then cut each segment crosswise into thin quarter rings (about 1/6th inch wide)

1 c. diced sweet fresh red pepper

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bouquet garni:

1/4 c. pickling spice wrapped in cheesecloth to form a pouch with no loose ends, tied with a string around its neck tightly so nothing leaks out, then cut off top handle leaving an even nub above the string

2 c. red wine vinegar

1/2 c. Balsamic vinegar

2 t. pink Himalayan salt

1/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 c. white sugar

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Place all ingredients, including bouquet garni, into large saucepan. Stir well, submerging all ingredients beneath the liquid.

Bring to boil, then remove from heat and let set at room temperature till cool enough to pack into covered jars.

Refrigerate to use as wanted.

Variations: Transfer 2 cups of beets plus liquid to another container and add matchstick carrots as desired. Cover and refrigerate, inverting jar occasionally till carrots turn red.

Add drained and thoroughly rinsed kidney beans to the jar, cover and invert till beans turn red. Continue to refrigerate as before.

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