Pickled beets are a midwestern classic! The most popular pickled beets in the refrigerator roast or boil beets marinated in a vinaigrette made of cider vinegar.

Beets are an annual treat at home. We usually boil them, then throw them into an sour sweet vinaigrette. Then we store them in the refrigerator for the rest of the week to eat. In the dressing, vinegar “pickles” the beets, making them to last longer in the refrigerator.

A lot of pickled beets that I have tried are too vinegary and hide instead of enhancing the naturally sweet taste of the beets. The recipe below is my mom’s method of making the beets with cider vinegar, tempered with some sugar (you can also substitute balsamic vinegar) and olive oil and a bit of dry mustard.

Ingredients

8 medium fresh beets
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cut beets in half and scrub tops up to 1 inch. Put them in a Dutch oven. Add water to fill. Bring to an unbeatable boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the water and cool. Slice beets, peel and cut and place in a bowl, then place aside.

In a small pot, mix vinegar as well as cloves, sugar as well as allspice, salt and. Make sure to bring it to a simmer. Boil for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over beets. Keep in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Remove the liquid prior to serving.
Servings: 8