Marinated beets with star anise

Have you ever had a beet harvest that was a little more abundant than you expected ?

Or have you ever realized in April that you have more of those beautiful beets you bought in the fall than you thought?

Instead of letting them spoil, turn your beets into spicy preserves that will awaken your taste buds! Here's my suggestion for a simple yet delicious recipe that will allow you to use up your surplus beets.

Beets keep really well in the fridge, it's true, but by canning them , you save refrigerator space, increase their shelf life, and get the job done in advance... Just open the jar and the beets will be ready to serve!

Recipe for marinated beets with star anise

Ingredients

• 6 lbs (about 2.7 kg) cooked beets, peeled and cut into quarters or rounds (optional)

• 1.5 T of cooking water

• 3 cups of white vinegar

• 2 cups of organic sugar

• 1.5 tsp salt

• 7 star anise

• 3 broken cinnamon sticks

Preparation

1. Cooking the beets - Cook the whole beets in boiling water for about 60 minutes or until tender.

2. Save the cooking water - Set aside 2 cups of cooking water to make sure you have enough.

3. Peel the beets - Let them cool and peel them with your hands, rinse and set the beets aside.

4. Prepare the jars - Sterilize your glass jars and their lids (in boiling water for 10 minutes).

5. Prepare the marinade - In a large saucepan, pour the white vinegar, cooking water, and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

6. Add the spices - Add the star anise, salt, and broken cinnamon sticks to the marinade. Simmer gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.

7. Jar the beets - Divide the beets among the sterilized jars.

8. Pour the marinade - Pour the hot marinade over the beets in each jar, making sure to distribute the spices evenly. Leave about 1 cm of space at the top.

9. Sterilization - Seal the jars tightly. Place them in a boiling water sterilizer, making sure the water covers the jars well. Boil for 35 minutes to sterilize the preparation.

10. Let cool - Remove the jars from the water and let them cool to room temperature.

11. Wait before tasting - Marinate for at least 48 hours before eating, ideally a week for a more pronounced taste.

Possible variations and modifications

• Vinegar

  • Replace half of the white vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a milder, fruitier taste.

  • Use a little balsamic vinegar for a sweeter, more colorful marinade.

  • Try a mixture of white vinegar and rice vinegar for a lighter flavor.

• Spices

  • For traditional beets, replace the star anise and cinnamon with mustard seeds (2 tbsp).

  • For spicy beets, use 2 tbsp of pickling spice.

  • For typical sweet beets, use cloves (about ten) instead of star anise in addition to the cinnamon.

  • Add a few black peppercorns for a little extra heat.

• Sugar

  • Replace white sugar with honey or maple syrup for natural sweetness.

  • Reduce the amount of sugar for a less sweet marinade, according to your taste.

• Beets

  • You can try roasting your beets instead of boiling them before pickling them.

  • Try with golden beets or Chioggia beets for different colors and flavors.

• Additional flavors

  • Add a crushed garlic clove to the marinade for extra character.

  • Add a small piece of grated fresh ginger for a tangy, fresh note.

• Texture

  • Use small beets and keep them whole in your preserves.

  • Dice the beets instead of slices or wedges for a different presentation.

  • Add thinly sliced ​​red onions to the marinade for extra crunch and flavor.

I hope this recipe and these few ideas will inspire you to grow beets in your garden or to make full use of the beets in your organic baskets!

To learn more about our organic basket program, visit this page on our website or download our harvest calendar!

Best regards. 

Frederic