Infamous, that is, in my small circle of friends.
This is up there as my favourite chutney. My friend, Emily, introduced me to it. Emily made a batch a few (quite a few) years back and, generously, gave us a jar. We loved it. I remember asking her for the recipe. She was very nonchalant about the source. Emily said she found the recipe on the web but also mentioned that it was from Rick Stein. I knew I would forget if I didn’t act immediately so I went online. I soon found the recipe and saved it, along with a multitude of other recipes I am going to try one day.
Not so long ago, I picked quite a few beetroot from my vegie patch. They sat in the fridge for a day or two and then I remembered Emily’s (Rick Stein’s) beetroot chutney. What a perfect use for those beetroot.
After I made it, I offered my sister, Sandra, a jar. She looked a little dubious. I could see she wasn’t convinced she would like it. Then I offered her some with cheese, to sample. A few mouthfuls and she was sold. Sandra later rang me to say beetroot chutney was now her favourite.
There is another reason why I like this recipe. About a year ago, I bought a Magimix (I don’t love it as much as Celia loves hers). Whilst I was at it, I also bought the dicing kit attachment. It would have to be the most useless kitchen gadget I have come across. I bought it because I make a lot of dog food. I thought it would be great to, really quickly, dice the sweet potato, pumpkin and carrots I put into their food. Not so. These vegetables are too hard for the dicer. You have to cook them before you can dice them which is something not mentioned on any of the promotional material. As I have no intention of separately cooking the vegetables before I dice them (everything goes into one pot), I had never used it.
When I made this chutney, I decided to grate the beetroot in the Magimix. I then had the thought that the dicer may be useful for chopping the onion and apples. It did a good job dicing the apples and just about coped with the onion. I am happy. At least, I can say I have used it once. Don’t waste your money.
I highly recommend this recipe. Originally, it comes from Rick Stein’s Food Heroes: Another Helping, but I sourced the recipe online.
This quantity makes a little more than 7 x 200mil jars.
Ingredients:
- 900g raw beetroot, grated
- 450g onions, chopped
- 680g cooking apples, peeled cored and chopped
- 450g raisins
- 3 tbs* ground ginger
- 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 900g granulated sugar
- 1.1 litres malt vinegar
- 40g salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
*These are 15 mil tablespoons.
Method:
- Put all the ingredients into a large pot.
- Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring to boil and simmer for about 2 hours or until it reaches the desired thickness. (I cooked mine a bit longer than the 2 hours).
- Pour into sterilised jars and seal.
Refrigerate after opening.
Passion Fruit Garden 
Can this be canned as in water bath& if so what is the shelf life?
Hi Susan, absolutely it can. I don’t know the technical life span but, as I always say “ages”. I don’t water can chutneys and I they are s still fine many years later. Obviously, they are best within a year or two.
Hi after trawling the internet for a beetroot chutney I chose this one 🌸
Currently it is cooking on my hob in my grandmothers brown judge enamel pan that I save for making jams .I did however have a little wobble as I thought all the ingredients would not go in the pan even though it’s large . I have omitted the chilli and used 2x tblsp of ground ginger plus a stem ginger. Salt & black pepper . I have never made chutney before so fingers crossed.
Hi Julie, Good luck!!!
Can I use fresh chopped ginger, if so how much 🤔
Hi Jenni. Why not? It is usually three times fresh to dry so I would go with about half a cup of finely chopped fresh ginger.
I was just looking-up this recipe again as my brother was questioning 3 tbs of ground ginger. I noticed the commentson giving this for Christmas gifts. I have done this for years people just love it.
Hi Lorraine. You are right, it makes a great Christmas addition. Tell your brother the ginger amount is correct 😃
We grow beets in Suffolk that they make into sugar in the silver spoon factory in Bury st Edmunds. A completely different beast than the type I grow in my allotment that I’m going to try to turn into chutney.
Hi David. This is my favourite chutney recipe.
Why grate the beetroot, seems like a lot of work and a route to a pureé?
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Hmmm, maybe that’s a way to get my family to try beets. I love beet salad with goat cheese but I hate to make things if no one else is willing to try. It’s interesting that you & my blogging friends in the UK say beetroot and we says beets – I assume we’re talking about the red part that you pull out of the ground right?
I had to look up this Magimix gadget & wow! It sells here for $500 for the basic model. Looks like it’s a brand name for a food processor. I just don’t think I’d do $500 worth of chopping or dicing or whatever else it does but that’s just me.
Diane, you guys always have to be different. 🙂 The Magimix is French. It costs much more here. It is supposed to be the best there is. I am not so sure. Certainly, the dicing accessory was a waste of money.
Gosh, Glenda. I wish I wasn’t so far behind with reading posts. I certainly would have bough some beets from the farmers market last Saturday. I’m a beet lover as are a number of family members and friends. A jar of this chutney will make a great addition to my Christmas gift baskets. I’ve pinnd it. I will be back, once I get the beets. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
John, it would make a great gift. Perfect colour for Christmas too. You won’t be disappointed.
Love a bit of chutney every now and then. How lovely to grown your own beets which must make this chutney very special indeed 🙂
Hi Moya, I guess it is special as my friend makes it.
Love the beautiful combination of ingredients in your chutney, Yumm…
Thanks.
By the way Glenda- I never bother with the raisins!
lots of love
Emilyxxxx
Now you tell me, Em!! Obviously it tastes good either way.
Hmmm, I’ve simply been oven baking or simmering in spiced water pieces of beetroot and keeping in vinegar in a jar in the fridge for salads, or sliced with goats cheese on a biscuit. But I also love chutney… a meeting of the two 🙂
Sure is Ella.
How perfect would this be on a cheese platter with a glass of wine. I’m going to have to try it for sure.
Lona, it is a great recipe.
Sounds fabulous, Glenda!
Thanks Liz
Hi there, doing a bit of a catch up with blogging and already I’ve found a recipe that I’m saving for next year – thank you! I like chutneys but don’t eat masses of them but find they make great gifts and are usually popular. The recipe reminds me abit of an old Delia Smith green tomato chutney which was infamous too! Hope all is well with you. Claire x
Hi Claire, Great to hear from you. I have been wondering why I haven’t received any updates from your blog. I assumed you had dropped of …. This is a great recipe. If you are interested in it please make sure you copy the current version. After I posted it I realised the quantities weren’t right so I edited the post.