My paternal grandmother was Danish. She died before I was born but growing up, I knew her sisters and brother–my great aunts and uncle. My great aunt Zeta made pickled beets. She always had a jar open and I would ask for them as soon as we got to her house. I never asked for the recipe unfortunately, but I have tried to recreate it as an adult. Here is my best guess at this point:
The pickling spice mix. The numbers are ratios. You can make as much as you like and just add the amount based on the ratio provided.
- Mustard seed – 2
- Allspice berries whole – 1
- Coriander seeds – 1
- Fresh or ground ginger – 1
- Cinnamon sticks – 2
- Cloves – 1
- Star anise pods – 1
You will also need:
- Beets
- Sugar
- White Vinegar
- Sealable jars to put the beets in
Quarter the beets and boil them for about 15-20 minutes. Drain them and remove the outer skin. I just rub the skin off. It comes off easily once they are boiled. Then, put vinegar 2 to 1 with water in a pan. Add sugar–about 3/4 – 1 cup for every 2 cups of vinegar. Dump in a tablespoon of pickling spice per 2 cups of vinegar. Simmer for a few minutes while you put the beets in the jars. Then, pour the pickling liquid into the jars so that it covers the beets. Seal them up. You’re done! Enjoy.