The best recipes for canned tomatoes and red beets for the winter

Many housewives love to surprise their guests and loved ones with winter vegetable preserves. They often preserve beetroot and tomato snacks. Before preserving tomatoes and beets for the winter, it's important to familiarize yourself with the recipes.

How to prepare tomatoes and beets for the winter

To preserve harvested tomatoes and beets over the winter, you have to can them.

There are several basic methods that allow you to preserve vegetables yourself:

• Sugar-based preservation. In this method, sugar is added to the water during cooking to increase the sugar concentration in the food. When the sugar content increases to 50-60%, all microbes gradually stop developing and begin to die. Therefore, all foods preserved this way have a long shelf life.
• Pickling. This method requires the use of vinegar, which is considered an ideal preservative. Even a small amount of vinegar is enough to remove harmful microorganisms from foods. During pickling, vinegar is added at the final stage of preparation, when the prepared vegetables have already been placed in the jars in which the pickled food will be stored.
• Fermentation and pickling. When preparing beets and red-skinned tomatoes using this method, the lactic acid produced during fermentation is used. Table salt is also added to the container when pickling vegetables.

How to choose and prepare tomatoes and beets

Before you start preparing preserves, you need to familiarize yourself with the specifics of selecting and preparing products.

Selecting and preparing tomatoes

When choosing tomatoes for canning, pay attention to their size and shape. Medium-sized tomatoes are recommended, as they are easier to fill into jars. For whole-fruit canning, use only small tomatoes that will fit whole in the container.

For winter preservation, select tomato varieties with thin skins. They are best suited for canning because they absorb brine more quickly during pickling.

All tomatoes selected for pickling are first washed to remove dirt, soaked and cut into pieces.

Selecting and preparing beets

To ensure your vegetable preserves turn out delicious, you'll need to understand the specifics of choosing beets. Only table varieties of beets are selected for winter canning. Fodder beet It's not suitable for this purpose, as it's less tasty. When choosing a root vegetable, pay attention to its surface. It shouldn't be covered with brown spots or white veins. Also, the beets should not have dark spots that appear during rotting.

After selection, each root vegetable is cleaned of any adhering dirt, washed, peeled, and cut into cubes.

Methods for pickling tomatoes with beets

Beets and tomatoes can be prepared in a variety of ways. It's recommended to familiarize yourself with recipes for winter preserves using these vegetables in advance.

Standard recipe

This method of preparing the appetizer is considered the most common, as it is used by many housewives. To prepare this beetroot and tomato appetizer, you will need the following ingredients:

• one beetroot;
• a kilogram of tomatoes;
• 70 grams of sugar;
• 50 grams of salt;
• 2-3 dill umbrellas;
• 85 ml of vinegar liquid;
• three garlic cloves.

Marinating begins with pre-preparing the containers in which the appetizer will be sealed. To do this, thoroughly wash and sterilize all jars with sealing lids. Then, add chopped garlic, dill, and beets to the sterilized containers. Top all the ingredients with chopped tomatoes.

After filling the jars, boil water in a kettle and pour it into the jars. The liquid is then poured into a saucepan, boiled again, and mixed with sugar and salt. The prepared brine is poured back into the jars and canned.

With an apple

Vegetables preserved in apple brine are delicious and flavorful. This recipe uses:

• 2-3 kg of tomatoes;
• one beet weighing 700-800 grams;
• 500 grams of apples;
• 100 grams of sugar;
• 800-900 ml of water;
• salt to taste;
• 75 grams of vinegar.

Preparation begins with preparing the main ingredients. First, the beets and apples are washed, peeled, and sliced. The sliced ​​ingredients are then placed in the bottom of pre-prepared jars. Next, prepare the tomatoes. They are also washed and placed in canning containers.

Once all the jars are filled, begin preparing the marinade. Boil 5-6 liters of water in a saucepan, then pour it into the jars for half an hour. Then drain the water, boil it again, and pour it into the containers.

With apple and onion

Another ingredient often added to beetroot and tomato appetizers is onion. The following ingredients are used to create the dish:

• two onions;
• beet weighing 500-600 grams;
• 4-5 apples;
• 900 grams of tomatoes;
• salt to taste;
• two peppers;
• 65 grams of sugar;
• 30-40 grams of citric acid.

First, the jars are rinsed with boiled hot water to remove germs. Then, chopped onions, tomatoes, beets, and apples are placed in the jars. Afterward, the hot liquid is poured over everything, which is drained after 10-15 minutes and brought back to a boil. While boiling, citric acid, sugar, and salt are added to the water. The prepared marinade is poured back into the jars.

"Tsar's"

To preserve salted snacks using this recipe, you will need:

• one and a half kilograms of tomatoes;
• two beets;
• 100 ml vinegar;
• carrot;
• salt and sugar to taste;
• hot pepper.

First, rinse all the tomatoes in water and pierce them near the stem. Then, place them in the bottom of the jars along with chopped carrots and beets. Top with dill, parsley, and other herbs, if desired. Next, prepare a marinade of sugar, salt, and pepper and pour it into the jars with the ingredients. Once the preserves have cooled, they are transferred to the cellar.

How and how long canned food is stored?

Canned food should be stored in dimly lit areas at a consistently maintained room temperature. Optimal temperatures are considered to be no higher than 13-15 degrees Celsius. Under these conditions, the snack will last for several years.

Some people try storing their pickles at lower temperatures. However, this is not recommended, as pickles do not freeze well.

Conclusion

There are many preserves made with fresh tomatoes. However, tomato and beetroot appetizers are popular among housewives. To prepare them, simply familiarize yourself with popular recipes for making such preserves.