Monday 9 March 2009

Preserving beetroot?

I have just pulled all our root vegetables and now I have to do something delicious with them.

I'd love to preserve the beetroot, but cannot find any good recipes. I don't want to make a relish or pickle, just preserve them.

How would you do that? Cook, peel, then slice them, then put in jars with favourite preserving liquid? Or uncooked, then topped with liquid and put in preserver? What liquid do YOU use?

Uhm..not sure I should mention that - but the end product should taste as close as possible to the tinned product. Arrgghhh... I said it. A slight vinegary taste. Not too much. My excuse is that the other gnome prefers it that way. Sad, I know. ;)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Veggie,
Scrub beetroot gently to remove dirt, cook in boiling water until tender. Allow to cool, then peel and slice, reserving cooking water.
2 cups sugar, 3 cups strained cooking water, 4 cups vinegar, bring this to the boil, add the sliced beetroot and bring to the boil again. Bottle in sterilised jars and seal by the overflow method (this is an old recipe) so I guess you would do a waterbath for this. I just checked my other book, I have another recipe but it is longer with more ingredients (spices) will email you it if you like. This recipe says to process jars in a water bath for 30 minutes from boiling

Anonymous said...

It might not be what you're after, but I know of people who slice and dehydrate beetroot. They swear by it.

Veggie Gnome said...

Aha! Thank you so much for this. Now I have a better idea how to go about it. Thanks for your offer of the longer recipe, but I think I'll be alright now. :)

Veggie Gnome said...

Darren, that is a very interesting idea. Thank you. I have never heard of it or tasted it, but I will not dismiss it. Next time I have a glut, I shall do a trial batch. :)

Tracie said...

Rhonda over at Down to Earth has a great recipe I use it all the time and never get any complaints. I think it tastes better than tinned

greenfumb said...

Im with the other Gnome, I always think tinned beetroot tastes better than home preserved but I love beetroot chips and beetroot dip. If you get a result that is closed to tinned make sure you post it.

Mickle in NZ said...

Hiya , agree with Pip even though never made is myself. My folks used too. And after the initial cook the peeling is really easy, invovles only fingers and thumbs.

Just discovered this year that beetroot are the only veg (I think the only thing) my Mum uses her pressure ccoker for.

Hey - sfter the initial cooking sneek a few to have "unpreserved" - has a sweet yet a little earthy flavour.

Happy Beetroot Cooking, Michelle in Wellington

Mickle in NZ said...

p.s. from me - I always preferred the tinned stuff to Mum and Dad's homemade as a child - less pickling spices I think. I do still loath preserved beetroot served with potatoes, especially mashed spuds. I don't want my spuds coloured crimson ever,

Enough from my rambling, happy cooking and eating, Michelle and Zebbycat (pretending to sleep, is really waiting to pounce with purrs once I go to bed too)