Shirley’s Pickled Beetroot

Gluten-free | Sugar-free | Dairy-free | Plant-based 

Makes 1 large jar 

Why it’s delicious

This recipe is dedicated to my Grandma Shirley, who was the pickled beetroot and malt pickled onion Queen! Her beetroot was heavenly.

Helpful hints and tips

I strongly suggest you use a mandolin slicer to cut the beetroot to get even thin slices.

Beetroot juice stains anything and everything in sight, so wear disposable gloves and use plastic boards and stainless steel bowls to avoid dying everything beetroot pink.

This recipe calls for inulin powder, a soluble fibre derived from plant-based sources. It is a prebiotic, making it a fantastic ingredient for gut health and a healthy alternative to sugar. I use Pure as Inulin by Bridget's Healthy Kitchen, a 100% natural plant-based prebiotic chicory inulin powder to support a healthy digestive system. It also tastes like candy floss! Please check out our online store here to place an order. You can also read more about inulin powder --> here. 

Ingredients

• 1 L (2 pints or 1 quart) water
• 100 g (3.5 oz) mineral salt 
• 1 tbsp cumin or fennel seeds
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 kilo (2.2lb) raw beetroot, peeled and sliced  very thinly using a mandolin 
• 500 ml (1 pint) apple cider vinegar
• 200 g (7 oz) Pure as Inulin Powder

Method

Create a brine by stirring the water and salt together until the salt dissolves. Add the beetroot to the brine and ensure the vegetables are well covered in liquid. Leave the vegetables to soak in the brine for 24 hours. 

The next day, drain the brine from the beetroot and rinse them well in a colander under cold running water.

Heat a frying pan on medium and add the cumin seeds, cloves, peppercorns, chilli flakes and bay leaves. Dry fry the spices for about 1 minute or until they begin to pop in the pan. 

Add the spices to the bottom of a scrupulously clean large glass jar and top with the sliced beetroot. 

Heat the vinegar and inulin powder in a pot at medium temperature, stirring occasionally until the inulin dissolves. Remove from the heat and pour directly over the beetroot. Carefully push the beetroot down until it is fully submerged in the liquid. 

Allow the liquid to cool before topping the jar with a clean lid. Leave to pickle in the fridge for at least 3 days, but ideally 7 days before consuming. 

The beetroot will last in the fridge for 2 months, provided every time you dip into the jar, make sure you use a clean utensil. This will prevent transferring any possible bacteria into the jar that will cause the pickles to go sour.