Baba’s Old-Fashioned Pickled Beets
Pickled beets are an excellent way to preserve beets while they’re in season and add another layer of flavour to this earthy and complex root vegetable.
I’m Ukrainian. Well, I’m actually Canadian… Fifth generation Canadian, in fact. But nevertheless, my Ukrainian heritage is very much a part of my family story and I am not allowed to forget that.
As such, I come from a long line of farmers and homesteaders, by necessity if not by choice. And those ancestors of mine relied on many of the same staple from scratch recipes and preserved foods that I and my relatives still enjoy today.
Pickled beets are one such food, and they’ve been a thing in my family for generations. My babas made them, and most likely their babas made them before that. (Baba means “grandma” in Ukrainian/Russian).
We’ve always enjoyed pickled beets alongside perogies, sauerkraut and cabbage rolls at holiday dinners. Because no turkey dinner involving my family is complete without all of the above accoutrements.
But while certain traditional Ukrainian dishes like cabbage rolls and sauerkraut and even borscht have all been tastes I’ve acquired over my lifetime, I’ve always loved pickled beets. In fact, I like pickled beets more than I like fresh beets. I find the tang of the vinegar and pickling spice adds depth and flavour to these already deep and rich tasting root veggies. Plus, it’s a quick and easy way to preserve beets fresh from your garden or from the farmers market when they’re in season and enjoy them all year long.
How to Prepare Beets for Pickling
You can peel beets very easily if you cook them first and then run them under cold water and remove the peels by rubbing them off with your fingers.
Start by chopping off the beet greens*, leaving about two inches of stems at the top of your beets and leaving the root end in tact. Doing this instead of cutting the stems and roots off completely helps to prevent the beets from “bleeding” too much when you cook them which can cause them to lose colour and flavour.
Then, wash beets and scrub off any dirt.
*Save the beet greens and stems to sauté or add to soups and stir fries.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add beets. Boil for about 20-25 minutes (longer for large beets) and then strain beets into a colander. (I like to reserve the beet liquid, let it cool and then add it to my compost for added nutrients). Run some cold water over beets to stop the cooking process.
One by one, peel the beets by slipping off their skins with your fingers. They should come off easily. Run beets under cold water if you’re having trouble peeling them. Break off the stem and root and compost.
Once all beets are peeled, cut them into equal sized pieces. I usually quarter my medium ones, cut large ones into eighths and leave little ones whole or I slice them into rounds about ¼-inch thick.
They’re now ready to add to your pickling brine.
Pickling Brine for Pickled Beets
My family’s recipe follows the 2:2:2 ratio of water to vinegar to sugar… Two cups of water, two cups of vinegar and two cups of sugar, to be precise. Throw in a spice bag full of pickling spice and a hot pepper and you’ve got all you need to make a wicked brine.
I’ve tweaked the ratios a bit to lower the sugar content and align with up-to-date safe canning guidelines, so I use two cups of vinegar to one cup of water and have cut the sugar content in half by adding only one cup instead of two. So I follow the 2:1:1 method:)
Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a large saucepan and stir to combine.
Add ½ cup of pickling spice along with one whole hot chilli pepper (or about ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes) to some cheesecloth and tie it up tight. I buy prepared pickling spice, but you can make your own if you like.
Place spice bag in vinegar, water, sugar mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently for about 15 minutes. Discard spice bag (or remove spices and add to compost and dispose of bag or cheesecloth).
How to Make Canned Pickled Beets
Once you’ve prepared your beets and your brine (and sliced some onions if you’d like to add them), it’s time to actually pickle your beets.
Add prepared beets to vinegar brine. My family adds onions to our pickled beets, so now is the time to add sliced onions to your brine too if you choose to use them in this recipe. I slice onions into thin rounds while my beets are cooking during the preparation stage so they’re ready to go when it’s time to pickle them. If using larger onions, simply slice rounds in half or in quarters.
Simmer beets and onions in brine on medium low for another 10 minutes. Then scoop beets and onions into prepared jars and cover with brine. Pop lids on jars and process in a hot water bath canner for 30 minutes. Let cool and store:)
Serve pickled beets alongside other Eastern European dishes like homemade perogies, sauerkraut, kielbasa, cabbage rolls, and dense, heavy breads. Or try with a variety of other “western” dishes like roast beef, alongside venison or steak and as a side dish to your turkey meal at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Or simply eat them out of the jar with a fork:)
Canning tools I use and love:
Baba's Old-Fashioned Pickled Beets
Ingredients
- 5 cups prepared beets
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup pickling spice
- one whole dried chilli pepper or ¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 2 medium white onions (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare jars, lids and bands for canning. Wash jars and bands with hot, soapy water then simmer in boiling water bath until ready to use. Get out new lids and have them ready. This recipe should make about 4 pints.
- Prepare beets. Trim stem leaving roughly two inches of stem in tact. Leave root end in tact. Wash and scrub to remove dirt, then bring a pot of boiling water to a boil and add beets to pot. Boil for about 20-25 minutes and test largest beet(s) with a fork to ensure they're cooked through but not too soft. Larger beets may need to cook for a bit longer. Strain beets and run under cold water, using fingers to slip off peels and break off stems and roots (or cut them off with a knife). Slice beets into equal sized rounds or wedges, leaving small baby beets whole.
- Prepare onions if using by slicing into thin slices, about ⅛-inch thick. Set beets and onions aside.
- Combine vinegar, water and sugar in a large saucepan. Tie pickling spice and chilli pepper(s) in some cheesecloth and add to pot. Bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for roughly 15 minutes.
- Remove spice bag and discard. Add beets and onions to brine and simmer on medium-low for another 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop beets and onions into prepared canning jars leaving a generous ½-inch headspace. Pour brine overtop leaving ½-inch headspace. Jostle jars to release any trapped air bubbles and adjust headspace as needed. Wipe rims, place lids on top and screw bands on to fingertip tight. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Then turn off heat, remove canner lid and let stand for another 5 minutes before removing jars from canner. Let cool on counter completely before storing.
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I’m all about practical gifts; Gifts that will truly make life easier and contribute to my and my family’s wellbeing. And our family includes our animals!
One of the ways we make sure our chickens are taken care of is by letting them free range during the day, but making sure they’re locked up and safe from predators at night. But who wants to be up at the crack of dawn to open the coop, or wake up to a bloodbath because you forgot to close the coop the night before?
(The answer is obviously no one… No one wants that).
Automating our homesteading tasks as much as possible allows us to worry about other things and saves us a ton of time. Plus, it makes sure that things get taken care of, whether we remember or not.
Using an automatic chicken door has been a GAME CHANGER for us. It’s one of those lesser known homestead tools that can make all the difference, and I’m always recommending one to anyone who keeps chickens!
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Yes, you read that right…
Modern Homesteading Magazine is coming to an end.
This decision has not come easily, but there’s a season for everything, and more and more I’m feeling called to transition out of this season and into the next in both life and business.
And so this final farewell issue is bittersweet. On the one hand, it’s the first ever annual issue, with 100 pages packed with brand new content that celebrates the best of the past 32 issues!
And it’s the first issue I’ve ever offered in PRINT!
But on the other hand, it marks the end of an era, and of this publication that I’ve absolutely had the pleasure of creating and sharing with you.
If you’re a digital subscriber, you will not be charged a renewal fee going forward, and will continue to have access to the digital library until your subscription runs out. As part of your subscription, you’re able to download and/or print each issue of you like, so that you never lose access to the hundreds of articles and vast amount of information in each issue.
Rather than subscribing, you can now purchase an all-access pass for a one-time fee of just $20, which gives you access to our entire digital library of issues.
Plus, for a limited time, when you purchase an all-access pass you’ll also get a gift certificate for a second all-access pass to gift to someone else.
I’m also still taking preorders for the print version of this special edition issue, but only for a few more weeks!
When you preorder the print issue, you’ll also get a digital copy of the special edition issue (this issue only), and will receive a print copy in the mail later this year (hopefully by Christmas so long as there are no shipping delays!)
Click the link in my profile or visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com to check out the latest issue, purchase an all-access pass to the digital library and/or preorder the print issue today!
Thanks to everyone who has read the magazine over the past 4 years. I’m humbled and grateful for your support, and can’t wait to share whatever comes next:)
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It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
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There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
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If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
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Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
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If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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Do you make your own pickling spice?
I am not fond of pickling salt. By not using it how would it affect the canned beets?
This recipe actually doesn’t contain pickling salt, so you’re in luck!
Hi Anna,
I would like to make these but don’t plan to can them. Can I just submerge the beets and onions in the brine, store them in the refrigerator and eat them within a week or two? Do they need to marinate for a certain amount of time before they are ready?
Yes you can “quick pickle” them in the fridge. I would let them marinate for at least a week.
Hi, Anna. I called my grandmother Baba, too! Do you know if a sweetener like stevia or monk fruit can be used in place of sugar in your picked beets recipe? I follow the keto eating style, and don’t use any sugars.
I understand your desire to not use sugar. However, neither Anna or myself have used Stevia in our home canning recipes and can not guarantee the taste will be quite the same. But, I know that it is considered safe although it is much sweeter than sugar (I think the general rule is to use a teaspoon of Stevia for one cup sugar). Here is an article that explains more about using Stevia in home canning.
https://www.healthycanning.com/home-canning-with-stevia/
I hope that helps you on your sugar-free journey. 🙂 Let us know how you like it!