1 pound (1/2 kg) red beets, stems & leaves removed

1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 cup granulated sugar or substitute (I use xylitol)

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1.5 teaspoon mixed pickling spice (plus one of the half-cinnamon sticks per jar in Pickling Spice Mix below)

6 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled

1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced (optional, I don’t use)

2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed (I use one)

Fresh dill for garnish (optional)

A very large jar (NOTE: if using two medium jars, about 680-720g, like mine pictured below, make sure to add half a cinnamon stick to each jar)

Preheat oven to 350 (180 C). Wrap beets in foil & roast till tender 1 – 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, uncover, let sit till cool enough to handle, slip off the skins, then cut into eighths, or quarters if small.

In a non-reactive saucepan combine vinegar sugar & spices.  Bring just to the boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cool slightly.  Place eggs, onion, (if using), garlic & beets into the jar. Pour liquid over. Tighten jar lid and keep in refrigerator.  To colour and pickle evenly, invert several times over the 24-48 hours it takes them to pickle. To serve remove eggs from marinade, cut in half and serve on large lettuce leaf, garnished with fresh dill. (I am told they will keep for a week, at least)

 

Pickling Spice Mix

2 T whole mustard seeds

1 T whole Allspice (or pinch of ground Allspice)

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tsp ground ginger

2 Bay leaves, crumbled

2 Cinnamon sticks, broken in half

6 whole cloves

 

Optional: fennel seed, dill seed, celery seed