Recipe: Pickled Beets (re: canning beets)

You must either make pickled beets and process in a boiling water bath canner or pressure can them if they are plain. ALL foods must be canned in some manner or they will not be safe to eat. Canning destroys the bacteria.

PICKLED BEETS

7 lbs if 2- to 2-1/2 inch diameter beets
4 cups vinegar (5%)
1 1/2 teaspoons canning or pickling salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
4 to 6 onions (2- to 2-1/2 inch diameter), if desired

YIELD: About 8 pints

PROCEDURE: Trim off beet tops, leaving 1 inch of stem
and roots to prevent bleeding of color. Wash thoroughly.
Sort for size. Cover similar sizes together with boiling
water and cook until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes).

CAUTION: Drain and discard liquid. Cool beets. Trim
off roots and stems and slip off skins. Slice into 1/4-
inch slices. Peel and thinly slice onions. Combine
vinegar, salt, sugar, and fresh water. Put spices in
cheesecloth bag and add to vinegar mixture. Bring to a
boil. Add beets and onions. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove
spice bag. Fill jars with beets and onions, leaving 1/2-
inch headspace. Add hot vinegar solution, allowing 1/2-
inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Recommended process time for PICKLED BEETS in a boiling-
water canner 30 minutes.