Pickled Beets

Beets are at their peak right now and are the lowest in price of the season if your are buying them.
We LOVE pickled beets in our house...straight out of the jar.  They are tasty with other things too, like carrots and olive oil or onions or potato salad or whatever...but sometimes the jar is emptied from nibbling while the more elaborate adventures are being prepared.

Ingredients:
Beets
ACV (apple cider vinegar, preferably raw and unfiltered)
Unrefined Sea Salt
Sugar (optional)
Cream of Tartar (1/4 tsp per TBS if using sugar)


I put the whole beets (just the greens removed, keeping the root intact) in a SS pressure cooker with a little trivet or something to prevent direct contact with the bottom.  (This and cranberry relish is all I use my pressure cooker for now a days.)  Add a little water to the bottom.  You want steam, not beets IN the water.  Cook at 15 lbs of pressure for 10-15 minutes depending on size of beets and remove from heat.  When it has cooled down and the pressure is gone, I remove the lid and let the beets cool.

When they are cool enough to handle, I remove the skins by cutting the stem and root off and "wiping."  Sometimes I have to help  the removal with a small paring knife, but not often.  When the skins are removed, I either quarter the beets or slice in the Cuisinart...depending on my mood.  I stick the cut beets in jars and pour in the ACV with salt and sugar.  These will keep in the fridge for a VERY long time.  Months at least, maybe longer...they've always been eaten before they've spoiled.  They might be fine in a cool basement without canning, but I've never tried.

We save the pickle juice for soaking baby carrots.  They turn a weird purple, but they are tasty for nibble food.

This post part of Tuesday Twister