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This is not so much of a recipe but of the steps that one needs to go through to make the pickled beets. This morning I went out in the coolness, being observed by 2 of my 3 feral kitties outside, and I decided to work on the green beans/garlic bed. I saw the largest of the 3 using it for a potty last evening! Sooo...got out my coyote urine capsules (had only 6 left), & hot pepper spray. I hoed around the bean & garlic plants a bit, then cast blood meal around them. Trying to get a crop before it freezes. The garlic will stay till next fall.
Applied the coyote urine caps, around outside of bed...they "activate" with moisture. Then sprayed the hot pepper stuff around on boards, some on plants. After being out there for that long, I decided since it was going to rain today, that this is "THE DAY" to pull the beets.
I had one row...some big ones, lots of little ones. Cut off the scraggly tops & left in their area of the garden beds. Came in & cleaned them through about 3 cold water washes. Then cooked them in a big pot, till done, upwards of 30 minutes. Had to cool them down in the sink again. Slipped their skins, putting big ones into bowl to be sliced, little ones into a huge pickle jar (got from Sam's, bread & butter pickles). Then made the pickling fluid, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, & 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced thinly. Brought it to a boil, then turned down heat, & let it simmer for approx. 5 min. Now cooling it. After cool, put it over the beets...I have them in the large pickle jar waiting.
Needed to take a break, so sitting here in my apron (pinny?) typing to you all. One must leave the pickled beets in the jar in refrigerator for a couple of weeks before eating any, as they need to get "pickled". Looks like more than I can eat...maybe will share some with neighbors. Oh, these are called Refrigerator Pickled Beets. I also added a scant teaspoon of cinnamon to the brine. Hope they do taste good, as the beets, besides zinnias, marigolds, & cosmos, are the only vegetable I've got from the "drought" garden this year. Hope someone else might try the "receipt" as the old grannies used to say, & let us all know. Joan
by the way it is raining lightly.
Applied the coyote urine caps, around outside of bed...they "activate" with moisture. Then sprayed the hot pepper stuff around on boards, some on plants. After being out there for that long, I decided since it was going to rain today, that this is "THE DAY" to pull the beets.
I had one row...some big ones, lots of little ones. Cut off the scraggly tops & left in their area of the garden beds. Came in & cleaned them through about 3 cold water washes. Then cooked them in a big pot, till done, upwards of 30 minutes. Had to cool them down in the sink again. Slipped their skins, putting big ones into bowl to be sliced, little ones into a huge pickle jar (got from Sam's, bread & butter pickles). Then made the pickling fluid, 2 cups vinegar, 2 cups water, 2 cups sugar, & 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced thinly. Brought it to a boil, then turned down heat, & let it simmer for approx. 5 min. Now cooling it. After cool, put it over the beets...I have them in the large pickle jar waiting.
Needed to take a break, so sitting here in my apron (pinny?) typing to you all. One must leave the pickled beets in the jar in refrigerator for a couple of weeks before eating any, as they need to get "pickled". Looks like more than I can eat...maybe will share some with neighbors. Oh, these are called Refrigerator Pickled Beets. I also added a scant teaspoon of cinnamon to the brine. Hope they do taste good, as the beets, besides zinnias, marigolds, & cosmos, are the only vegetable I've got from the "drought" garden this year. Hope someone else might try the "receipt" as the old grannies used to say, & let us all know. Joan
by the way it is raining lightly.