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Fermented Beets

Delicious and probiotic fermented beet pickles are perfect with most meals
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Fermented beets are probiotic and tangy. Perfect for adding a bit of zest to all sorts of meals. Try all five flavor options! See the section above for more details.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup of filtered water to cover (chlorine-free)
  • 1 1/2 tsp non-iodized salt
  • 6 small beets or 3 medium beets
  • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar (optional, see notes)
  • Other flavors (see section above)

Instructions

  1. Mix the salt and a 1/2 cup of water in a quart-sized (1 L) jar. 
  2. Scrub the beets. Cut off the top and tail, then chop them into bite-sized pieces. There’s no need to peel them, as the skin will help provide the culture for the ferment. 
  3. Pack the beets into a  jar. At this point, you can add spices and other flavors. See the section above for different flavoring options.
  4. Add the cider vinegar (if you are using it). Top with a 1/2 cup of water, enough to completely cover the beets.
  5. There is no need to weigh down the beets as they usually don’t float. Cap the jar with a lid that will allow gas to escape.
  6. Leave the jar to ferment at room temperature for about 3-7 days. (See the section above for details on how to ferment beets for up to a year).
  7. Store in the refrigerator and consume within 1 month.

Notes

  • Beets don’t require a starter culture to ferment. Organically grown beets naturally have a lactic bacterial culture. However, I like the added tanginess provided by cider vinegar, so I always add a little to every jar. Adding vinegar will actually help to speed up the ferment!
  • If you want to reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp, then increase the cider vinegar to 1/4 cup and only ferment for 3 days. This will result in a pickled beet that is more vinegary than salty.

Find it online: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/fermented-beets/