Pickled Red Beet Eggs using Fresh Beets! 

Most recipes for pickled red beet eggs call for canned beets and tons of sugar, so I was thrilled when I came across this recipe using fresh beets and honey. I've been making these savory treats all summer and they're a huge hit with my family and friends. They're an excellent hors d'oeuvres on their own or even better, as festive deviled eggs. I've also served them on simple sandwiches and salads. Don't forget to enjoy the pickled beets and onions as well!

Ingredients

• 1 dozen hardboiled peeled eggs.

• 8-10 small to medium sized beets (about 1.5 pounds), scrubbed clean (I used all of the smaller beets that came out of my garden this summer and I found that the pickled egg color was still pretty when I used both golden and red beets)

• 6 cups of water

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• pinch of cinnamon

• pinch of cloves

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (I used red onions, but any color would work!)

• 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar 

• ¼ cup raw honey *The traditional Pennsylvania Dutch recipe uses much more white sugar than this, but I found this amount of raw honey is the perfect amount of sour and sweetness. You can omit the honey for a sugar free option, too.

• 3 quart sized mason jars (wide mouth works best) with lids (we love these reusable plastic lids)

Instructions

1. Slice the tops and ends off of the beets and add them to your 6 cups of water.

2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for 20 minutes or until they are tender.

3. Remove the beets from the water and set aside to cool (don't throw out the beet water!).

4. Add the garlic, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper to the beet water and set aside.

5. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, the skins should slip off easily so slip the skins off and slice the beets to desired size (I found that slicing beets 1/4 inch thick resulted in beets that were good for snacking and for sandwiches)

6. Place the beets in mason jars, distributing evenly among the 3 jars.

7. Add the hardboiled peeled eggs (4 per jar) and sliced onions to the jar with the beets and set aside.

8. Once the beet water has cooled to a warm temperature, stir in the honey and apple cider vinegar. You want the beet water to be just warm enough to dissolve the honey. 

9. Strain the liquid into the jar with the beets, onion and eggs. You want the liquid to completely cover the eggs.

10. Cover the jar (or bowl) lightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. They get better with time in the fridge - I typically like to wait 3 days. 

Bonus Tip: If you have leftover beet pickling liquid from the recipe or after you've eaten the pickles, add it to a glass of sparkling water for a refreshing and nutritious cocktail! I like a ratio of 1 part beet pickle juice to 3 parts sparkling water.