Pickled Beets Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for pickled beets to be ready to eat? ›

No need to wait to enjoy your pickled beets. They're ready to eat as soon as they've cooled down, however, the longer you wait, the better their flavor. Give them at least a week or two.

Possible downsides. Depending on how they're made, some varieties of pickled beets may pack salt and added sugars ( 23 , 24 ). Research links excess sugar and salt intake to poor health and an increased risk of illnesses like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Beets and beet juice are high in nitrates, substances that turn into nitric oxide inside your body. Your body naturally produces nitric oxide, which is crucial for blood vessel health. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens your arteries, allowing more blood to flow through and significantly lowering blood pressure.

If you don't like raw beets, don't fret. Cooked, fermented, or pickled beets retain much of their nutritious value, although some of the nitrites and other nutrients may be lost during preparation (13, 18, 19, 20).

Their “earthy” flavor comes from a compound called geosmin, which is also the same compound that we associate with the smell of “fresh rain” and “forest soil”. Some people are much more sensitive to this compound than others, that is why some people say they taste like dirt, and others love them.

Make sure that there is adequate vinegar in your red beet pickle recipe. Scientifically research tested recipes use more than ½ cup vinegar per pint jar. Pickled beets are safe to process in a boiling water bath or atmospheric steam canner. The USDA recommends processing pickled beets in boiling water for 30 minutes.

Beet is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts. Beet can make urine or stools appear pink or red. But this is not harmful. There is concern that beets might cause low calcium levels and kidney damage.

Salty foods. High sodium consumption can elevate blood pressure. Many people eat too much sodium without realizing it. Highly processed foods and fast foods usually contain excessive amounts of sodium, often more than the 2,300 milligrams a person should consume daily.

Aunt Nellie's Pickled Beets contain no fat, saturated fat or cholesterol; they are kosher and gluten-free.

Why am I craving pickled beets? ›

Nutrient Deficiencies and Cravings

One possibility for craving beets is a deficiency in certain nutrients found in this root vegetable. For example, if you are low in iron, your body may send signals to your brain in the form of a craving for beets or other iron-rich foods.

Can you eat beets everyday? It's always best to follow a varied diet. Eating a small amount of beetroot every day is unlikely to do any harm, but a high intake could lead to low blood pressure, red or black urine and feces, and digestive problems for anyone with a sensitivity to the nutrients.

Ready to eat in 2 weeks, or longer, if you like.

No special preparation is required for pickled beets. You may eat them directly out of the jar! Most people eat pickled beets chilled or at room temperature.

Beets are ready to harvest when their roots are the size of a golf ball, typically 50 to 70 days after planting. Harvesting times depends on the gardener's preference, but larger bulbs will have a tougher texture.

If you're still not sure if your beets are mature, push away the soil around the base of some of your beet greens and expose the top 1/3 of your beet roots. If the tops of your beet roots are about the size of a golf ball or larger, they should be ready to harvest.