How to preserve beetroot at home

Beetroot just like any other fresh produce needs to be preserved to ensure it keeps its nutrients. There are methods you can learn how to preserve beetroot that is simple to do at home.

Story of a gardener: He likes gardening and growing his own vegetables, beetroots being one of them. After picking them from the garden he put them in the fridge for a few days but noticed the beetroots had shriveled up and felt spongy.

Preserving beetroot wasn’t something he thought he could do. It looked like a complicated process that needed a lot of expertise until a friend of his showed him how it’s done. It was so simple he felt stupid afterward for not knowing sooner.

How to prepare the beetroot

• Cut off the top of the beetroot leaving 1 inch of the stem leaves and roots attached to prevent a lot of bleeding.
• Clean the beetroots well.
• Put them in a pot with boiling water and let them boil for 20-30 minutes.
• Rinse under cold water and cool the beetroot just cool enough for you to push the skin off with your fingers.

How to preserve beetroot

Pressure canning beetroot

1. For canning boil, the beetroot for 15-25 minutes depending on the size, cool in cold water, remove the skin and trim the stem and roots.
2. Can baby beets whole and for medium or large beets cut into halves or quarter slices.
3. Pack the beetroot into hot jars and leave 1 inch of headspace. If you want, add 1 tsp. of salt per quarter to each jar.
4. Fill the jars with fresh boiling water and leave 1-inch headspace.
5. Remove air bubbles, wipe the rim, and tighten the rid with jam screws.
6. Process the pints for 30 minutes and quarts for 35 minutes at the correct pounds of pressure.
7. Leave the jars on a counter for 24 hours then remove the rings, check if the jars are sealed, wash them, label, date, and store the beetroot in a clean, cool, dark place.

The beetroots might turn pale after canning. Don’t be alarmed. It’s because beetroots are sensitive to high temperatures but they will turn to a darker red after storing in room temperature.

Freezing beetroot

1. Cool the cooked beetroot in cold water, remove the skin, and cut off the stem and root.
2. Cube or slice the beetroots.
3. In the plastic freezer bags fill pint or quart but remove as much air as possible. Leave ½ inch of headspace.
4. Seal, label, and freeze the beetroots.

You can also freeze the beetroots first them pack them.

1. Arrange the beetroots on a shallow tray or pan.
2. Put them in a freezer until they’re frozen firmly.
3. Check on them to make sure they don’t lose moisture.
4. When firmly frozen, pack, seal, and leave no headspace.

Pickling beetroot

1. Cut off the stem of the beetroot but leave 1 inch of the stem and roots to prevent a lot of bleeding when cooking.
2. Wash thoroughly then sort with size.
3. Cover with boiling water and cook till tender for 25-30 minutes.
4. Drain and discard the liquid then cool the beetroots.
5. Trim off the stems and roots then remove the skin.
6. Cut into 1 ½ inch or ¼ inch slices.
7. Thinly slice the onions.
8. In a pot, mix 4 cups vinegar, 2 cups sugar, 1 ½ salt, and 2 cups water.
9. Put 2 cinnamon sticks and 12 cloves in a cheese bag then add vinegar.
10. Let it boil, add beetroots and onions, simmer for 5 minutes then remove the cheesecloth bag.
11. Fill the jars with beetroot and onions, add vinegar and leave ½ inch headspace.
12. Remove air bubbles, wipe jars, adjust rims, and process.
13. Leave the jars undisturbed for 24 hours.
14. Remove the rings, wash jars, label, date, and store the beetroots.

Beets are very easy to preserve

Beetroots are delicious veggies that give you lots of nutrients and vitamins. However, these nutrients can be lost if the beets are not well preserved. There are simple methods on how to preserve beetroot, you can either pressure can the beets, freeze them, or pickle them. If you preserve then properly in airtight containers, they will retain their freshness and nutrients for a longer period. In case you don’t close the jars properly make sure you eat the beets before they spoil. Watch this to learn more on how to preserve beets.

FAQ

How long does fresh beetroot last in the fridge?

Raw beets can last for about a week in the fridge. To prolong the shelf life of your beets you can place your beets in plastic bags and don’t wash them till the time you want to use them.

Are frozen beets good to eat?

Deep freezing your beets helps to maintain their quality by using vacuum sealed plastic bags. Frozen beets are only good for 12 months after which their taste and quality degrades.

How long can you keep beetroot once cooked?

Cooked beets if properly stored can stay in the fridge for 3-5 days. If you want to preserve them for longer you can freeze them in vacuum sealed bags or use aluminum foil.

How long do homemade pickled beets last?

If you keep the pickled beets in the fridge throughout, they can stay for up to 1-3 months without compromising their quality. Once you open the jar of pickled beets make sure to check any changes in smell and colour or mould to avoid eating spoiled beets.

How do you store fresh green beets?

Cut off the beet greens, wash them thoroughly and remove excess water or allow them to dry, wrap them in a paper towel, then put in an airtight bag. Store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.