How to Make Fermented Beets

 Learn how to make delicious, flavourful fermented beets, which make a very versatile condiment that can be use in salads, sandwiches, on toast and so much more, with this easy to follow recipe!

Fermented Beets

Being a great source of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, beets are a great food to have in your garden. Fermenting vegetables is a great way to preserve vegetables, especially when you have lots growing, as well as providing a healthy, probiotic-rich snack for the family. When finished, fermented beets are delicious, crisp, tangy, and are a lovely, colourful addition to any meal.

These fermented beets can be added to a potato salad, on sandwiches, sautéed vegetables or rice, or a platter with cheese and crackers. The brine is full of probiotics and enzymes, making it great for using as a dressing with a little olive oil or to make pickled eggs. 

This Fermented Beets with Tarragon, Balsamic, Shallot Recipe makes 1 pint and takes about 1 to 2 weeks to ferment, though a lot does depend on your conditions and your taste. The longer the beets ferment, the more sour they become. Taste beets with a clean fork to avoid contamination. When it reaches the desired taste, cover the glass jar with a lid and transfer to the fridge. It should keep for at least 2-3 months refrigerated. 

To make fermented beets, these devices would make it easier for you:  a vegetable peeler, something to shred with like this KitchenAid Attachment, and cling wrap, though you could use a food processor, or a spiralizer would still do the job. You could even dice the beets if you didn’t want to shred them.

If you are interested in purchasing a fermentation kit, then this is a great one!

• ½ cup water
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 small shallots
• 1 small bunch fresh terragon
• 3 small beets or 2 medium beets

How to Make Fermented Beets

First, you will need to dissolve the salt in the water. Then wash and peel the raw beets. Use kitchen gloves and safeguard counters as beets easily stain surfaces.

Finely shred the beets into a bowl.

Thinly slice the shallots and add to the beets.

Chop the tarragon and add to the beets and shallots.

Add the balsamic vinegar and salted water to the bowl of beets, tarragon and shallots. Mix well and then pour into a large mouth mason jar.

Wrap the pickle pipe with cling wrap to avoid staining the wood and press the pickle pipe into the beet mixture to compress. Place a glass pebble or weight onto the beets. Place the silicone top on to the jar and screw on the mason jar lid.

Place the jar in a dark, cool place for 1 to 2 weeks.

When time is up, remove the silicon lid and weight and cover with a standard lid and store in the fridge. The fermented beets should keep for about 2 – 3 months in the fridge.

Enjoy!

More Recipes

• Fermented Honey Garlic
• Fermented Beets
• Homemade Ginger Kombucha
• How to Make Scrappy Apple Cider Vinegar
• How to Make a Sourdough Starter
• Fermented Carrots

Fermentation Notes

Salt: Fine Sea Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt are preferred for fermenting. Iodized salt will stop the fermenting process as will any caking type salts.

Storing Ferments: Keep the ferments in a cool place between 60-70˚ F (15-21˚C). It does not have to be a dark place. The counter top is fine. I would avoid storing ferments in the basement as they tend to be damp and may have mould spores present. The temperature of ferments matters. Carrots and vegetables ferment faster in a warm kitchen than in a cold one. If it is hot, shorten the fermentation time, if cold, you can lengthen it.

Coverings: Instead of using a piece of cloth, place the silicone top on to the jar and screw on the mason jar lid. Airlocks allow excess gases to escape. If you don’t have an airlock, you will need to make sure to be safe, though carrots don’t usually create enough CO2 to warrant it, burp the jar once daily during the first 3 days. Make sure to keep your carrots and vegetables completely submerged in the brine. If they become exposed to air, it makes them vulnerable to mould.

Brine: Make fresh brine for each new batch of ferments that you make. You can use the leftover brine as a dressing on salads, or even drink in small amounts. When fermenting, the flavouring items that are used in your ferments are being fermented too. They can also be enjoyed as a snack.

Equipment: Using the correct equipment such as glass weights and a fermentation kit, help prevent contamination of your ferments.