Allotments 4 All

anyone know a good place to buy some pickling jars i've got a load of beetroot ready for pickling  :)

Don't waste your money use old jam - pickle or pasta sauce jars with the pop up button on the lids from family - friends and recycling bins on my way to the allotment,I always heat my beetroot and vinegar together fill the warmed jars and as the beetroot cools the lids pop making a good seal,mind you some have been a bugger to open

Quote from: Buster54 on June 28, 2009, 12:57:22
Don't waste your money use old jam - pickle or pasta sauce jars with the pop up button on the lids from family - friends and recycling bins on my way to the allotment,I always heat my beetroot and vinegar together fill the warmed jars and as the beetroot cools the lids pop making a good seal,mind you some have been a bugger to open

Buster54 - what else do you add to the vinegar and beetroot - I have pickled some using Delia's recipe but she uses LOTS of salt and that spoiled it a bit for me.

Meg

Quote from: Buster54 on June 28, 2009, 12:57:22
,mind you some have been a bugger to open

If you can't open them, pour some hot water over them to release the vacuum.

Hi Meg,I just use cider vinegar(not as harsh as malt) and sugar

i've tried to scrounge some but not having much luck so i'm going to have to buy some.

we got some from a car boot but lakeland plastics sell them  :)

Where abouts are you staris?

Staris, have you tried Freecycle? (Most areas have a group nearby) Jars seem to be offered regularly.

i live in durham, i'll give freecycle a go  :)

Quote from: Buster54 on June 28, 2009, 14:02:26
Hi Meg,I just use cider vinegar(not as harsh as malt) and sugar

I LOVE pickled beetroot - so can I ask how much sugar per pint of vinegar?  Do you bring the vinegar to the boil, dissolve the sugar then pour over the cooked beetroot?  Sorry to keep asking, but as I said Delia's recipe leaves the beetroot too salty.

Thanks Buster
Meg

I just put the beetroot into either lightly spiced vinegar or red wine vinegar, no salt at all  ???

Quote from: Larkshall on June 28, 2009, 13:31:32

Quote from: Buster54 on June 28, 2009, 12:57:22
,mind you some have been a bugger to open

If you can't open them, pour some hot water over them to release the vacuum.

Hot water works fine ....... a safer way is to gently 'ease' the lid with a Crown Cork, (metal tops), bottle opener ...... just a tiny lift breaks the seal and does not damage the lid.

Also sterilising, no need for scalding water or ovens, just rinse out jars with Sodium (or Potassium) Metabisulphite, 1 teaspoon to a pint of warm water. Rinse jars then stand upside down to drain.

Steriliser can be bought from Home Brew shops (and some Chemists)
In North Lincolnshire the WILKO chain stock quite a good range of home Brew stuff.

Quote from: manicscousers on June 28, 2009, 20:12:43
I just put the beetroot into either lightly spiced vinegar or red wine vinegar, no salt at all  ???

Thanks Manics - as I said, Delia's recipe is proving too salty - do you put the cooked beetroot into hot/boiling vinegar?

Meg

Last year we pickled lots of onions and used different vinegars - organic cider vinegar, red wine vinegar and bog standard tesco cheap as chips. The onions in the cider vinegar turned a very weird green round the edges but the others were fine (the onions made with the red wine vinegar looked and tasted great).

Maybe the cider vinegar was not strong enough or something in it reacted with the onions.

Not all vinegars are the same strength - worth checking. Average is 5% acetic acid - but can be lower.

Hi Meg I boil the beetroot,peel it under cold water then slice or whatever then in a pan I add couple of bottles of cider vinegar think they are about 330ml then add enough sugar till I taste the sweetness(just a bit on a teaspoon)I have never measured anything add the beetroot back in the vinegar till its hot but not boiling then put beetroot into warm jars and top up with the vinegar.Never used salt

Quote from: Buster54 on June 29, 2009, 12:48:56
Hi Meg I boil the beetroot,peel it under cold water then slice or whatever then in a pan I add couple of bottles of cider vinegar think they are about 330ml then add enough sugar till I taste the sweetness(just a bit on a teaspoon)I have never measured anything add the beetroot back in the vinegar till its hot but not boiling then put beetroot into warm jars and top up with the vinegar.Never used salt

Cheers for this - your post now saved into my recipe folder - I love trying out new pickles.

Meg

I don't warm the vinegar at all, mine either get made and put into the fridge or in kilner jars for storage  :)

Put them in (cup Cider Vinegar + 1/2 cup Sugar boiled together) .

No need to reheat.

Jars? All the old previous user ones!

Staris
We save all suitable jars throughout the year
but when forced to buy the best place we've found is

http://www.carterspackaging.com/shop/index.php

Jock