We used to buy a lovely beetroot chutney but sadly it was discontinued by Sainsbury’s supermarket. This home made version, however, is even better: both sweet and spicy. Beetroot is readily available in our local market at the moment so I made a batch to take us well into the winter. It has to mature until the start of December, but I will probably have to hide it otherwise I am not sure how long it will last. It is lovely with cheese or cold meats, both in a sandwich or served on the side.
This is yet another recipe from my favourite little book, A Pocket Book on Pickles & Preserves: techniques, hints & recipes by Olive Odell. I have cut the amount of vinegar slightly as it took a long time to reduce. If the chutney is reduced for too long the sugars start to caramelise and you risk the chutney having a burnt flavour.
Warning: Do not try to make a double batch in one pan. Reducing the extra liquid will be difficult and leaving it to cook down for a long time could lead to the sugars burning. I speak from experience! I apply this rule to all home made jams and chutneys: nothing worse than a bitter burnt flavour lurking in the background. I find using the widest saucepan I have gives the biggest surface area for the quick evaporation of liquid.
'Meanderings through my Cookbook' http://www.hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com
Beetroot Chutney
(Makes 5 x 1lb jars)
1.35kg/3lb beetroot
500g/1lb onions, peeled & chopped
600ml/1pt malt vinegar (own brand supermarket brown or clear)
750g/1½lb apples, peeled, cored & chopped
225g/8ozs sultanas or raisins
3tbsp ground ginger
1tsp salt
1kg/2lb sugar
1. Wash the beetroot, cover with water and cook, unpeeled until just tender (45-60minutes). Drain, cool, peel and cut into cubes (or mash if you prefer for a smoother textured chutney).
2. Place onions in a pan with 150ml/¼pt of the vinegar and cook until soft. Add apples, sultanas/raisins and continue cooking until the apple is soft. Add the cooked beetroot, ginger, salt and the remaining vinegar.
3. Simmer gently until thick and you can draw a channel through the chutney. Stir in the sugar, dissolve and continue cooking until the mixture thickens again.
4. Wash the jars well and sterilise. I usually do this by filling the jars with boiling water and putting the lids in a bowl of boiling water. I pour away the water just before filling each jar and immediately take the lid from the bowl and screw it on.
5. Pot into the prepared jars. Cool and label. Store for four weeks to mature before eating.
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Meanderings through my cookbook 
my daughter and i made this sweet beetroot chutney on bank holiday monday it said in the recipe to leave for 4 weeks to settle it was so lush we have nearly eaten all the jars we made we are going to make more this weekend for christmas hope we can keep it that long this time.Thank you for a lovely recipe.
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Thank you Wendy, and daughter – welcome! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe: my husband’s favourite. We have run out too and I need to replenish our stocks! I have a wonderful Tomato Relish recipe which I will be posting in a few weeks time (probably early October) so I hope you will come back to pay me a visit! (I will pop in a link here when it is available.)
h/e
I want to make this beetroot chutney, but what sort of vinegar is used?
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Thanks for your query, Shaz
I have amended the recipe so it is clearer, but the original recipe was for ordinary malt vinegar and I used a good quality supermarket own brand (though I decided not to use the value brand). I used brown as this is a dark coloured chutney but white malt would be fine too and I see no reason why wine vinegar could not be substituted.
Hope this helps and you enjoy the chutney.
h/e
Thanks for that. I have used malt vinegar. I ended up with a small amount that would not fit into the jars I used, so my partner and I had this as a taster with some cheese and crackers …….oooh its really nice, four weeks is such a long time to wait don’t know if I’m going to make it! I also became rather protective when my partner suggested giving some away to friends and family. I think I could be making another batch pretty soon.
Thanks
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Glad you both enjoyed this, Shaz. Beetroot is a particular favourite of my husband too and he loves this. Must buy some when I am next in our market as we have run out and he gets withdrawal symptoms!
You might also enjoy Spiced Damson Chutney: plummy & spicy – yum…
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made another lot today hope we can keep this one till christmas.no more now until next year coz all beetroot in garden has gone until new plants next year thanx again.wendy
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My pleasure, Wendy. Thank you for adding to my comments. It’s good to know when people have enjoyed my recipes and I am sure it helps other readers too. If you are desperate for more beets, I am sure you could beg, borrow, steal – or buy – some more!
h/e
Hi, Just finished bottling. How do you suggest we store these?
Garden shed, pantry, attic. if you could let us know.
thanks again, Wendy & Alison xx
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Hello again, Wendy & Alison. The recipe in my original book doesn’t give any specific instructions. A dark, or darkish place that is not too warm would probably be a good idea – I put mine in a low cupboard in my kitchen. Generally recipes recommend that chutneys be kept in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Hope that helps.
Happy eating!
h/e
PS If you enjoyed this you might well like the Damson Chutney I mentioned in reply to Shaz – and also our favourite Tomato Relish!
Thank you again have got a walk in pantry which i will put them in hopefuly till xmas thanx again wendy.x
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A walk in pantry? I am soooo envious! Another vicar’s wife I know has one so perhaps our next vicarage will have one – I hope!
Hope to hear from you again …
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I gather you are a vicar’s wife. We have a very friendly vicar in our parish by the name of John Walters. He is loved and respected by all who know him. Best wishes Wendy
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Yes, I put my hand up, hubby is a vicar. I don’t recognise the name of your vicar, but then there are a lot of them around!
h/e x
Hi,a very Happy new Year to you,hope you had a nice Christmas as well.We had a lovely buffet on Christmas night and guess what ?……the beetroot chutney went down extremely well everyone there wanted to know where I had bought it from.I told them about the receipe and so next September when the beetroot will be ready I will be making loads of it….I think I’d better start collecting the jars now.My son-in law had better plant enough beetroot to fulfill all the orders that I have.Thank you again for a great receipe Regards…Wendy…
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A very Happy New Year to you and yours Wendy. I am so glad that the Beetroot Chutney was a Christmas hit. It was on our table too! The most talked about Pickle on my table this year was the Pickled Pears, delicately aniseed flavoured with a hint of lemon and not too vinegary. https://hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/pickled%c2%a0pears/
As they are whole in the jar they are very pretty to look at too. I think I may well be making them for presents next year, providing I can be organised early enough.
Best wishes – and thank you for continuing to visit and update me!
h/e
It’s so funny that this recipe came through my inbox today. We have been reading Animal Farm and there was mention of a vegetable we didn’t know of. It turned out to be beetroot by another name. This looks interesting.
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How strange! I’d be interested to know the other name given to beetroot in the book – I thought that in the USA they were simply known as beets. There are all sorts of differences in the names of vegetables (our courgettes are your zucchini, our aubergine is your eggplant, etc) and even in the UK some of the names are regional. Swede, a largish yellow turnip is called simply turnip in parts of the UK, but in Scotland it is called Neeps and eaten with Tatties (potatoes).
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just in the process of making this recipe, have lost an old recipe that i used last year. i cant wait to try this. but can i use brown sugar in this recipe.
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Welcome, Jenny. I have not tried brown sugar, but have no reason to think that you cannot use it in this recipe. In a cake it usually gives a slightly different flavour – as this is a dark pickle the colour will not be affected. Hope this helps and you enjoy the pickle as much as your previous recipe!
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Have just commented on this gorgeous chutney at the end of the Tomato Relish ! – how foolish I am. Will say (once again) that having just made the beetroot chutney for the first time, I will be filing the recipe away to use again – and again. I just tasted it off the wooden spoon (I know, I know….) and it’s so spicy and delicious, and fabulous ruby colour will be truly festive around Christmas time. Friends and family will be receiving jars in their hampers this year. Wonderful recipe.
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Thank you Jenny. As I said in the message you left with the Tomato Relish recipe I am very flattered (though the recipe did come from a book – I can’t claim to have invented it) and I hope that your friends and family enjoy it. Thank you for visiting and leaving such a positive comment. (Don’t worry about posting your original comment in the wrong place – I have put in some links.) I hope you will find more you like on my site – you can subscribe on the right hand side of this page and WordPress will deliver to your email address.
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I just made this today and it’s amazing! I halved the recipe as I wasn’t too sure about it and I added fresh ginger rather than dried as I prefer the taste. Even just sampling it before it has cured it tastes wonderful and I can’t wait to try it with some cheese. I have loads of beetroot ready in the garden so will definitely be making some more; perhaps with a few chillis put in from the greenhouse for good measure. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
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Welcome Danny: I seem to receive nothing but good comments about this (my husband’s favourite!) beetroot chutney recipe. I do agree that a half quantity first is a good idea, something I often do myself. Love the idea of adding the chillis – please do let me know how you get on via these comments, how much chilli you added and whether or not it was a hit! I have a beetroot and orange chutney that I need to try which sounds great too, so watch this space …
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PS Lucky you to visit such wonderful places on your travels – makes my little recent trip to France & Spain seem rather tame, though it was a great trip!
Have just made a batch of this delicious chutney following your exact recipe, how long bcan it be stored for?
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Welcome Brenda: Yet another thumbs up for this great recipe – thanks for letting me know. Afraid I have no idea how long it will keep as it goes very quickly here and I never make larger quantities as I find they burn before reducing properly. (Once bitten, twice shy!) I can only suggest that you hide a small size pot and try it again after, say, a year. Perhaps I ought to do something similar when I next make a batch… Please do report back if you have a comment on storage that will help others.
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hi there, its Wendy & daughter again. We are going to be making your wonderful beetroot chutney again this year. So we would just like to say a very big thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
regards
Wendy
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Hello again Wendy & Alison and thank you. This chutney seems to have collected a fan club! We are on our last jar and I am thinking of trying a variation for a change – either Beetroot & Ginger or Beetroot & Orange. The jury is out at the moment but I will ask OH to choose as he eats most of it! I will post a recipe in due course if it is good…so keep watching!
h/e
I am in the midst of making this yummy chutney and wondered roughly how long it needs to simmer before adding the sugar????
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Hello & welcome Emma – thanks for your question.
The length of time really depends on the fierceness of heat and thickness of saucepan, so it is difficult to be exact. I am not sure I have ever looked at the clock. As the recipe says: ‘simmer gently until thick and you can draw a channel through the chutney’ so as long as the fruits don’t burn onto the pan I usually leave adding the sugar until quite late as once you add it any chutney starts to darken as the sugar caramelises and is more likely to burn before thickening. Sorry not to be more helpful but I do hope you enjoy this lovely recipe.
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hi again…just finished bottling the chutney we have enough again this year to last until next September…thank you ever so much for this fabulous recipe..x
regards Wendy and Alison
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Lovely to hear from you both again. Sounds like you are stocking up – a good idea. I have just started a course so will be trying to fit homework into my week but must find time to make some more of this and the Tomato Relish as we are down to our last jar of them both…
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Hi again…your beetroot chutney went down very well again this Christmas we’ve had so many comments about it you wouldn’t believe…hope you had a nice Christmas and Happy New Year.x regards Wendy and Alison
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Thank you Wendy & Alison. So glad you are still enjoying the Beetroot Chutney – my most commented on post and one of the most viewed.
A very happy New Year to you both as well.
hopeeternal
Hi, I was referred to this recipe by a friend and it is hugely popular with family and friends. 5lb will rarely last for four weeks, though. Useful tip on not trying to double up on quantities – I’ve made that mistake in the past.
Best regards,
Martin Walsh
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Welcome Martin & thanks for your enthusiastic comment. It’s good to hear of yet another ‘satisfied customer’ for this great recipe!
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hi…I think that we have collected enough jars again this year to make your delightful beetroot chutney..so many comments again about it..have passed the reciepe on to so many people you wouldn’t believe..so many thanks again for this wonderful reciepe.
x regards Wendy and Alison
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My pleasure – lovely to hear from the Beetroot Chutney Fan club again! Enjoy…
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Hi
Just having a go at making this chutney, on a very wet bank holiday!! The colour is amazing, can’t wait to taste. Thank you for taking the time to share, Alison
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Welcome Alison
Do hope you enjoyed it as much as us and the others who have commented.
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Merry Christmas to you x
We had this chutney with our cold ham last evening……. BEAUTIFUL is all I can say. Now making some more on a very wet Boxing Day!!
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Thank you Alison.
Another satisfied ‘customer’! Best wishes for Christmas to you too.
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We absolutely love your beetroot chutney, we have given some to friends who also loved it, we are now on making our 5th batch in 4 weeks. Many thanks
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Thank you Marion
So glad you like this. It is the most popular I have added here and justifiably so!
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Hi there, have just found your recipe for this yummy sounding beetroot chutney. Am going to have a go at making it tomorrow, but just wondering what type of sugar do I use, granulated or jam sugar ?
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Welcome Eve
This is chutney not jam so granulated sugar is fine. You don’t need extra pectin as there will be plenty from the apples so jam sugar would be an unnecessary expense.
Hope you enjoy this lovely chutney.
h/e
Hello again. Thankyou for the reply about the sugar. I made a batch of this today, my first ever attempt at making a chutney!! We had a taste and it is lovely (not sure it will last the 4 weeks to mature).
Thankyou again.
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Always good to have positive feedback after a query. I am glad you like the results. Enjoy!
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Just made this chutney today and it is looking good. Had some beetroot and chutney is handy to use on the side of a salad with cold meat ove the next few months. One jar already promised to a friend. Thank you for this easy to follow recipe. Do make jam sometimes especially Damson. Will have a go at damson chutney next year and hopefully there will be a better crop of damsons.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
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Thank you Brenda for another thumbs up for this great Beetroot Chutney. The Damson Chutney is deliciously fruity and spiced and wonderful at Christmas. Do hope you have enough fruit to try it next year. Could probably try it with another dark plum with a good flavour – won’t be exactly the same but sure it will be good nonetheless.
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Please could you confirm that the recipe is 3 TABLESPOONS of ground ginger?! I have looked at lots of other recipes and they seem to use a lot less ginger. Am in the process of cooking this now and have chickened out and have used 3 TEASPOONS of ginger. Hope I haven’t ruined it.
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Welcome – always best to ask.
The amount given is correct. Remember you are making more than one jar so it is not a huge amount. There have been lots of positive comments for this recipe and no one has queried it before so everyone else must have gone with the recipe amount.
I am sure you have not ruined your chutney though, it will just be less gingery than it could be which is a matter of taste anyway.
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hi i dont know if you can help but could i use sugar free jelly instead of sugar?
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Welcome Reen
You would never use a jelly of any sort to make chutney. The thickness comes from the reduction of the sugars and fruit liquids. I suppose you could experiment with sugar alternatives but otherwise it is not really chutney, just a fruit puree with added vinegar.
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Have just found you, when searching for Beetroot Chutney, have made it today with my home grown beetroot, the taste just from the spoon and pan is absolutely gorgeous, even our daughter who dislikes beetroot had a taste and can’t wait for the four weeks to be up, thank you very much, I am looking forward to trying some of your other recipes.
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Thank you Doreen – glad this recipe has another fan and hope you enjoy the chutney.
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Hi, I made this the other week as I picked beetroot for the next cake club I attend and I didn’t want to make a beetroot chocolate cake. This was my first attempt at a chutney and it tastes amazing!! Such an easy recipe to follow. Hopefully everyone at cake club enjoys it as much as me and my family have!! Now just need to make the cheese scones! :)
Thanks for posting it!
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Thank you Gemma – glad this recipe has another fan and hope your friends enjoy the chutney too.
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Hi
Just about to pick all my beetroot and have been searching for a different chutney recipe to use this year…
I want to try your recipe this time as it looks fab and has great reviews :-)
What apples do I use though ? Are Bramleys ok?
Thanks, Wendy
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Welcome Wendy
I usually use Bramleys for this recipe – windfalls are good – but I have used sharpish flavoured crisp eating apples too and they are fine. Depends on what is available at the time.
Do hope you enjoy this popular chutney as much as we do. About time I made another batch!
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Welcome Wendy
Thanks for your enquiry.
I usually use Bramleys for this recipe – windfalls are good – but I have used sharpish flavoured crisp eating apples too and they are fine. Depends on what is available at the time.
Do hope you enjoy this popular chutney as much as we do. About time I made another batch!
hopeeternal
hello there
are the quantities of beetroot and apple after peeling/ coring or before?
Thank you
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Welcome Jane
Quantities given are usually before peeling, etc. unless indicated and are so in this case. I don’t think accuracy is over important though so don’t worry if you are slightly short of beets as you can increase the apples or vice versa, so long as you keep roughly to the quantities. If my apple is slightly too large I still would put it all in!
Experiment and enjoy!
h/e
Just making my annual batch of this truly wonderful chutney. As mentioned by others, even beetroot haters love this and are asking for more jars ! The best chutney recipe I have ever made – and yes, you DO need all that ginger. Love this website, homely and comforting.
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Thank you Jenny
Should be ready just in time to go with the Christmas cold cuts. Enjoy!
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Hi, thanks for this, I am going to try it tomorrow :) Will refer back to you if I post on it.
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H
Do hope you enjoy the chutney.
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Hi, do you think I could use pears instead of apples as I have loads of them on my tree and am looking for ways of using them. Thanks
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Afraid I have no idea as I haven’t tried it but don’t see why not. Most new recipes come from experiments after all. Suggest you try a smaller quantity.
Have fun and let me know how you get on.
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Hi
Hi does this recipe require fresh ginger powder 3 tablespoonful?
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Yes Eva, the amount is correct even though it seems a lot. Ginger powder though not fresh ginger and though I see no reason why fresh ginger could not be used you would have to experiment with quantity.
This is a popular post with lots of positive comments. Hope you enjoy the chutney too.
h/e
Hello,
I used your recipe for tomato relish last year and it has been loved so much by the family I am making some more this year.
I am going to make the beetroot chutney as well, can you let me know if this recipe needs all of the sugar as it seems a lot compared to other recipes for instance the Spiced Apple Chutney.
I would very much appreciate your advice.
With kind regards
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Hello Sandra
I have always made it as per the recipe, as I expect have the other commenters here. I can only suggest you adjust a little if you wish and see what happens. I’d be interested to know as always like to cut sugar intake where I can. You will obviously get a smaller quantity.
h/e
Hello Sandra,
I thought that there was too much sugar too so I have made it a couple of times now with HALF the quantity of sugar and it has been absolutely fine. Fresh beetroot is naturally very sweet anyway.
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Thank you Linda
This is the sort of comment that is useful to have! I’ll try it myself that way as I prefer things less sweet myself. I just copied in the original recipe.
h/e
This is an amazing chutney. I decided to use half the sugar and its turned out perfect. Those wondering about the amount of ginger needn’t worry, it really does give a good balance to the chutney. I will be keeping this recipe for future use