Ingredients
- 1 kg cooked beets, peeled and sliced
- 120 ml Québec maple syrup
- 60 ml cider vinegar
- 60 ml water
- 30 g butter
- 15 g cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Method
- Place the sliced beets in a saucepan with the maple syrup, vinegar, water, butter, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Blend the cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water and stir it into the pan.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thickened.
- Serve hot, spooning the maple sauce over the beets.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 100 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace 100 g sugar with 120 ml maple syrup and reduce the traditional water from 120 ml to 60 ml; no oven adjustment is needed.
Why Quebec maple syrup: The syrup balances vinegar and earthy beet flavors with a subtle caramel note. Its regional origin makes this old-fashioned side especially suited to Québec cooking.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →