How to Can Home Made Pickled Beets

In this article we will learn how to pick good beets for canning, properly cook these, make our pickling solution, and can our beets in a water bath canner.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• water bath canner size 21 quart or larger
• pint size canning jars with lids and rings
• home canning utensils
• fresh in the skin beets or pre-canned beets with no additives
• a pressure cooker or large soup pot
• water
• white vinegar
• cinnamon
• lemon juice
• table salt

1. Step one- purchase 4-6 beets from you local farmers market or grocery store. I find that the smaller a beet is the sweeter it tends to be. After washing, place the beets with the skins still attached in either a large soup pot of boiling water or a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water. If using a soup pot, boil for 35 minutes or fork tender. If using a pressure cooker, cook for ten minutes after the pressure builds. Let cool to the touch after cooking and slide the skins off (they will practically fall away).

2. In a 2-3 quart saucepan combine 3 cups of water, 2 cups distilled white or red-wine vinegar, two teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and one tablespoon lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Slice your beets thinly or cube them as you like and add to the boiling liquid mixture.

3. Take your sanitized (through insertion into boiling water or dishwasher sanitizing) pint-sized mason jars and place on a level space. Fill the jars to 1/2 inch of the rim with the solution and beets. Make sure all beets are covered in liquid. Using your air space remover tool included in most home canning utensil kits or a spatula, remove all air bubbles from your jar. Seal the jars with lids and rings making sure there is no liquid in the grooves of the jar tops.

4. In your water bath canner full of water at a rolling boil, add the pint jars making sure they are covered with 1-2 inches of water above their tops. Boil the jars for about 10-15 minutes. Using a jar lifter (also provided in the utensils kit),lift the jars and place onto a level surface. Be sure that the lids are tight by pressing on the middles of them to be sure they don't "pop". Let cool for 24 hours without moving AT ALL!
   After they have rested for a day, the beets are ready to be put away for up to one year. Be sure to mark the dates on the jar so you won't forget. If any of the middles are able to "pop" up eat right away. Opened cans of beets are good as long as refrigerated for up to one week.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure the cans are pressure sealed. If the middle of the lid will "pop" at all, then they are not sealed. Either eat immediately or refrigerate for up to one week.

[momma-mac]

on 10/11/2009 I don't much like beets, but my husband liked these!

[foratripp]

on 10/7/2009 great recipe! I give it five stars!!!