Hi,
I've just pickled some beetroot (8 jars and I'm not a 1/4 of the way through yet :-[).
The fugg is starting to dissipate now so a question.
The method that I used was:
Clean out some old jam jars.
Poor boiling water with a milton tab into each of my old jam jars to sterrilize it, then let it dry.
Boil beet root until done (1hr - 1.5hr depending on size).
Skin and chop beetroot then put into jars.
Bring some pickling vinegar to the boil and then poor into the jars until the beetroot was covered.
Allow to cool then put the tops on and put into the cupboard.
I've seen people talk about using wax paper circles to seal the jars and so on but I didn't bother with this 'cos I'm lazy ad don't now what I'm doing. So, I was wondering, given the method that I used, how long should I expect them to stay good if I don't open them?
thanks
Hi Si D, I do some thing like that, and i have no problems,
clean and boil jars and the lids in saucepan for ten mins,
boil beertoor for 1hr,
skin and slice beetroot, place in jar, lable with date,
pour boiling water in jars of beetroot untill beetroot is covered, as i dont like the taste of vinegar,
screw lid on while water is hot but with dimple of lid is pressed in,
when jar cools down you will hear a pop, this will make sure a vacum is in the jar,
if un opened jar will last for a year or more if kept cool, bottom cupboard, i'm eating some from spring last year,
but i dont use wax paper,
hope this helps
windy
thanks windy - I shall carry on pickling with out worrying that it will all go off before I can eat it!
Much prefer 1 cup CIDER vinegar + 1/2 cup SUGAR. And use a Lakeland 'plunger' to keep the beet in the liquid.
last year i roasted in foil rather than boiled the beetroot and this was fine.
And i used white wine vinegar with a little chilli dropped in to spice up the beetroot - heavenly!!!
i dont like it pickled i prefer it just boiled and still warm HMMMMMM
I do almost the same as you Si d. Plus:
Pre heat the jars and lids in the oven for 10 min.
Dilute the pickling vinegar with about 30% water then bring to the boil.
1 teaspoon of sugar into the jar just before the vinegar.
Leave for at least one month before eating (The hardest part....)
Windy, I have to tell you this.. if you just do your beets with water and then let them self seal you are taking a huge risk with your health. As a straight veggie beets should be sealed in a pressure canner in order to be safe. The risk of botulism, which you can die from is very high if the contents only get to boiling, temperature. Unpickled veggies HAVE to have a much higher temp that you can only get with pressure canning.
Please look up on the net about preserving unpickled vegatables, this is very dangerous.
I am not talking about the difference of opinion as to wether things should be sealed in a water bath, versus just letting things self seal, , fruit can be water bathed, pickled veggies and jams too but not veggies, meat or fish.They have t0 pressure sealed and with beetroot it has to be for some considerable time.
I am uncomfortable writing this, but I am more uncomfortable not telling you, and I feel I must.
Botulism grows in an airless environment which it has the way you preserve it, you are giving it exactly what it likes,only by taking the temp to a much higher degree can you kill the botulism organism so there is nothing in the jar.
With respect.
XX Jeannine
Thanks for posting this Jeanine, I thought it was only beans that were unsafe without the proper canning equipment.
I think all of us who were unaware will greatly appreciate your advice ;)
i had a pretty poor crop of beetroot this year only 1 jar of pickeled beetroot so far but its a big one.
I cheat i boil about 2lb of beetroot for every big bottle, these i buy from morrisons with the pre spiced vinager in it. I boil and skin the beetroot when i think there done ( i use a egg slicer to get the slices ) and pop them into the steralised jar the contents having been poured into a pot and boiled with a little moscodavo suger when this has come to the boil i pour it into the jar pop the lid on and pop it somewhere out of sight for a few days then check its sealed.
It takes the husband a week to eat his way thought he jar!
I am completely different to any posts I have seen on this subject. I boil my beets and then skin them. I then grate them (old fashioned grater) while still hot (ouch :o). Then I put some sugar on and give it a good stir - then a good glug of vinegar (cold) and a couple of shakes of white pepper and then give another good mix. Taste and adjust vinegar, sugar and pepper to taste - the mix should not be swimming in vinegar - just paddling. Bottle and it keeps for ages - just eating beets pickled August 2007. ;D
twinkletoes
The message I put on above re beeets in water.
It applies to all veggies, not just beets or beans.
In fact it applies to any low acid anything.
Fruit, jams, jellies are fine sealed in a water bath. they are high acid.
Pickled veggies are high acid.
ALL veggies must be pressure canned unless pickled, they are all low acid.
Meat and fish are low acid.
Any soups with veggies in must be pressure canned.
Tomatoes are just on the border for acidity.
Most tomato varieties are acid enough for the water bath, but now a days we have so many low acid toms that they are unsafe unless pressure canned. I t pays to know what you are growing, OR grow a variety known to be good for canning. Adding a splash of lemon jiuce helps bit it is not that reliable.
XX Jeannine
Hi all,
Just a few words about pickling. Sugar and vinegar is natural preservatives. Had been used for hundreds of years. Boiling all bottles and seals are essential!
Good luck
;)