Ingredients
- 1.5 kg small beets
- 500 ml cider vinegar
- 180 ml Québec maple syrup
- 250 ml beet cooking water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
Method
- Boil or roast the beets until tender, slip off the skins, and cut them into wedges.
- Boil vinegar, maple syrup, beet cooking water, salt, cinnamon, and cloves for 5 minutes.
- Pack the beets into hot sterilized jars and cover completely with the boiling maple brine.
- Seal and process in boiling water for 15 minutes; cool and store.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g white sugar
Conversion used: Replace the sugar with 180 ml maple syrup and reduce the traditional water by about 60 ml; retain the full vinegar measure for a balanced, acidic brine. No oven adjustment.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple complements the earthy sweetness of beets and the warm spices traditionally used in sweet pickles. The Québec syrup adds body without masking the vinegar's preserving role.
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 →