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Mouthful

What in the world are you eating?

Self Preservation

07 October 2009 | 12:20 - By Phil Lees

sbs20091006_3310

It turns out that I have about three kilograms of beetroot of which to dispose in the first flush of spring, as a result of the urge to get the next season's plantings underway rather than any attempt at timing such things. As much as I love this ruby root vegetable, there is only so much borscht that one man can consume. So rather than give them away to friends like some smug feudal landlord, the decision was made to pickle.
 sbs20091006_3317 (Step 1. Boil the beetroot, let cool, and peel off the skins)

Home pickling and preserving in Australia is synonymous with a single brand - Fowlers Vacola - whom have been producing kits and their patented preserving jars since 1913. As a result of the antique Australian cooking pamphlet fetish that I'm cultivating, I've got three copies of the offical Fowlers Vacola preserving guide: from 1930, 1943 and 2009. The change between them is marked. 1930 has a strong focus on preserving meats with testimonials to support the preservation of every cut of every animal. A few meat products that no longer are part of the popular Australian vernacular with one successful preserver mentions pickling "haslet", a pork entrail-rich meatloaf originally from Lincolnshire. I had to reach for the dictionary. By 1943, the meats are still there as are debates over how much gelatin to use - although with more significant warnings on their careful preservation (pickling rabbit was out due to the as yet unknown effects of the introduced disease myxomatosis).
 sbs20091006_3320 (Step 2. Cut the beetroot into even slices. I'm using a mandolin out of laziness and the need to justify its continued existence)

By 2009, both meats and most vegetables had disappeared from the Fowlers Vacola guide. Pickling and preserving in Australia is no longer a survival mechanism but a luxury for most. A bad batch of preserves is not going to risk many families going hungry. Growing more vegetables than you can immediately eat would put you amongst the minority of gardeners and the absolute ubiquity of refrigerators means that the alternate method of preserving - freezing - is easier.

 sbs20091006_3325

(Step 3. The 1943 edition of the Fowlers Vacola cookbook suggests that 2 pints of malt vinegar mixed with half a "teacup" of sugar is needed for the betroot pickling mix. Pour into jars with the beetroot.)


sbs20091006_3334
(Step 4. Into the preserver to heat for 70 minutes) sbs20091006_3339 (Step 5. Out comes pickled beetroot (and some leftover strawberries) that will last for an almost indefinite period of time)

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Comments (36)

   
07 Feb 2012 05:26 AEST
From Kennewick
Thanks for sharing this with all of us. Of course what a great site and informative posts I will bookmark this site. keep doing your great job and always gain my support. Thank you for sharing this beautiful article.

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24 Jan 2012 03:31 AEST
From Kennewick
This is a very informative article.I was looking for these things and here I found it. I am doing a project and this information is very useful me.

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24 Jan 2012 03:25 AEST
From Kennewick
The Self Preservation, is good thing to have and I think the given information also said that you can make your self a business by working on the thing which you know about the best of. lilash

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19 Jan 2012 06:01 AEST
From Cali
Very important topic and you just did an amazing job presenting it in a simple and clear manner.

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12 Jan 2012 05:41 AEST
From roopa@website-redesign.biz
Hey, your article is awesome. In your post depth information is there and is interesting. Most of the people agree with your post I overcome with your article.

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12 Jul 2011 05:13 AEST
From privic
I got Restless leg syndrome

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23 Jun 2011 06:29 AEST
From Orlando
These would be great for my Orlando Steakhouse off of international drive. Have you ever thought about mass producing them? I would be interested!

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13 Jun 2011 09:46 AEST
From Queens
Once I have my own beetroots, I will use your recipe!

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15 Apr 2011 04:10 AEST
From Kansas
Your posting is very good and theme base for which it is liking to every people. Thanks a lot and continue it.

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15 Apr 2011 02:53 AEST
From mstealth71@gmail.com
Awesome post this will help us to preserve the things and enjoyed it for a longer period of time.

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11 Apr 2011 09:50 AEST
From Kansas
Well that's a very nice article! I have found your blog to be quite useful. Continue your work.

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22 Mar 2011 04:09 AEST
Larah
Valuable information about beet. Thank you very much for sharing prescription. Beet's juice is also very helthy.

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10 Mar 2011 11:05 AEST
From Jonestown
Thanks so much for the great ideas! I love to get my hands dirty with my kids and joking and talking about Our Great Earth

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18 Feb 2011 09:18 AEST
From marusca91@yahoo.com
Hello!!! Just I would like to share some quotes about this topic. As a matter of self-preservation, a man needs good friends or ardent enemies

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17 Feb 2011 08:46 AEST
From Utah
I love how crisp your pictures are. Thanks for posting the how to.

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14 Feb 2011 04:47 AEST
From steve
Hello, I found your blog in a new directory of blogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, Your blog looks good. Have a nice day.

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10 Jan 2011 10:27 AEST
From California
Love the neat ideas on how t make strawberries almost last forever via this juice, never knew it was possible till now so you know what I am going to be doing in the kitchen this week!

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10 Jan 2011 10:27 AEST
From California
Love the neat ideas on how t make strawberries almost last forever via this juice, never knew it was possible till now so you know what I am going to be doing in the kitchen this week!

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09 Dec 2010 04:25 AEST
Term Papers
The Self Preservation, is good thing to have and I think the given information also said that you can make your self a business by working on the thing which you know about the best of.

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15 Nov 2010 11:43 AEST
From usa
beet is extremely useful! Thank you for your recipe. Now you can eat it in winter!

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11 Oct 2010 10:03 AEST
Term Papers
Hello!!! Just I would like to share some quotes about this topic. As a matter of self-preservation, a man needs good friends or ardent enemies, for the former instruct him and the latter take him to task. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.

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23 Jun 2010 06:50 AEST
figtree
From wagga
do you know if there are any recipes for bottling chickpeas or such. I would like to make them so they are as convenient as tinned chickpeas but without the tin?

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28 May 2010 09:31 AEST
Allison
From Alice Springs
Thank you so much for your great ideas! I just love to "play in the dirt" with my girls and joking and talking about Our Great Earth - then, have so much fun at harvest time "making a fun mess in the kitchen". What great memories! It's the sharing time that lasts for years! Enjoy life!

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24 May 2010 07:17 AEST
metin2 yang
made by owen

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14 May 2010 05:50 AEST
From Melbourne
Excellent article on preserving these miracles from ones garden! It helped me with an essay about canning and jarring these miracles from the garden - it's too bad I couldn't show my professor the beautiful photos as well! Thanks again, -Ray

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09 Apr 2010 10:02 AEST
From New York
I was really pleased to read such an informative article and besides it?s so mouthwatering to look at the photographs here, I almost felt the taste of fresh beetroot and smelled it. I never thought about the history of pickling. It will help me write my custom term paper apa.

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14 Oct 2009 04:35 AEST
Libby.
From Grafton
Vacola bottling is a great way to use excess fruit, vegies,sauces,practically anything. Food can be preserved in water, brine, juiceor honey water. There are the older style stove top styles or new electric. The food is preserved pretty much for years. Every summer we bottle the glut of fruit on sale and in winter we have grapes,peaches in honey syryp and vegies as fresh as the day we picked them. A bit of preparation involved at times but worth it. Stove top varieties and new ones sold on ebay.

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12 Oct 2009 02:36 AEST
Phil Lees
Paul - You can preserve without a special preserver - you need a large pot and a thermometer. A good guide is here - http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/usda/2_USDAcanningGuide1_06.pdf . Stuart - slicing is just a matter of taste. I plan to use it sliced and it's much easier to slice before it goes in the jar than after. Slicing also lets you fit more beetroot in each jar. Keir - The jars are Fowlers Vacola brand. They're available new from hardware stores and used on Ebay in Australia.

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12 Oct 2009 01:18 AEST
Keir
From marrickville
Those jars are gorgeous. where did you get them?

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09 Oct 2009 03:43 AEST
stuart
From Canberra
Great article, considering the constant stream of stories involving death on the main SBS website this is a welcome relief. maybe the beetroots were sliced to percolate the sugar and vinegar into the flesh more easily?

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09 Oct 2009 01:11 AEST
Paul
From Box Hill
Is there an alternative to using a preserver? I have too many kitchen gadgets already but love my beetroot.

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08 Oct 2009 05:41 AEST
Nick
$3.99! It ruins my beetroot jokes.

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08 Oct 2009 05:39 AEST
Nick
I got a zero as one of the characters. I thought it was a capital O. I clicked on the "sorry, try again" link and my comment disappeared. Fortunately hitting "back" a couple of times brought it back. I imagine this is entirely out of your control. $3.99 for a single beetroot!

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08 Oct 2009 05:37 AEST
Nick
My local Coles is currently selling beetroots for $3.99. Not per kilogram; $3.99 *each*.

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07 Oct 2009 11:13 AEST
Phil
From Melbourne
DJ - I prefer fresh beetroot in salads to pickled - and I've had my fill of the fresh stuff for a while.

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07 Oct 2009 03:35 AEST
DJ
Love the heading, Phil. But I have to ask - why all the slices?? It suggests you are only going to eat the beetroot in sandwiches or burgers. Personally I like my beets chopped chunky for salads n stuff.

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