pickled beets?
 

Has any one ever made any?

I have a lot of beets from my CSA, and my grandmother likes pickled beets so I thought I would make her some but the recipes she sent me are missing things like proseessing times.

I can't find any recpies on my trusted canning recipe sights (but that may be becase I can't search well with a toddler typeing with me :shrug3 )

Re: pickled beets?
 

Oooh, I :heart pickled beets! :yum I grow beets every other year because that's how long my recipe keeps.

I've been using a recipe that was published in Country Living a while back. I used to have a bookmark to it, but the page is gone and I'm having trouble finding it with a google search, whick is odd. If I can't find it, I'll grab my hard copy and type it up for ya. :)

---------- Post added at 03:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:42 PM ----------

Country Living Spicy Pickled Beets

3 quarts prepared beets*
2 cups sugar
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt Note: I use coarse, not table salt.
3 1/2 cups vinegar (5% or greater) Note: I've used 7% and found it too strong
1 1⁄2 cups distilled or filtered water Note: Clean, potable tap water is fine.

* To prepare: wash, drain and trim beets, leaving 2 inches of stems and the large tap roots on the beet. Cover with boiling water and cook until tender. Let them drain until just cool enough to handle, then chop them into pickled beet sized pieces, or slices if you prefer.

Combine the remaining ingredients (tie spices in cheesecloth) and add to the beets in a large pot over low heat. Simmer 15 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your jars and lids by boiling them to sterilize. Note: I sterilize jars but follow directions for prepping clean snap lids, which say specifically not to put them in boiling water.

Remove spice pouch. Pack beet pieces into hot jars, leaving 1⁄4-inch head space. Pour hot pickling liquid over the tops of the beets in each jar. Apply lids.

Process 30 minutes in boiling water canner.

Store jars in a cool, dark place and let set for 6-8 weeks before opening. Consume within 8 months. Note: I store my jars in a very cool, dark basement and they consistently keep for two years with no change in texture or taste. I believe this recipe was published in 2004 or 2005, give or take a couple of years, so while it's not current, I trust its safety. DH and I are big on doing everything by the book when it comes to canning.

ETA: They mean it when they say not to open the jars for 6 to 8 weeks. The spices really need to mellow and combine for that time. I will say, too, that while I think these are the BEST pickled beets on God's green earth (:giggle) some people (like my mom, who likes everything either bland or over-the-top sweet) think they're too spicy. To them, I say phooey. ;)

Re: pickled beets?
 

Canned beets that aren't pickled are a great favourite of my oldest daughter. I don't know how to do them but I think it would be similar to canning carrots or something. :think My dad does them.

Just be careful, if you have both types in the pantry, not to heat up and serve pickled beets as a side dish. I'll tell you, they are NOT tasty when hot. Blech! :lol

Re: pickled beets?
 

thank you that is much newer than the one my Granny sent me that was from the 40's I think.

:ty

Re: pickled beets?
 

Mmm! I love pickled beets. Around here they are often made with pickledhard boiled eggs (blech, the eggs I don't like).

Re: pickled beets?
 

I love pickled beets too. :yes Don't know how to make them though.

Re: pickled beets?
 

Ohmygoodness, I want some pickled beets RIGHT NOW. I made a big jar once, of refrigerator pickles and they were SO good. And I lost the recipe.

Re: pickled beets?
 

Marzipan, I did that with a REALLY awesome ministrone soup recipe. :(

Re: pickled beets?
 

heaving never really heard of pickled beets until I was talking to my mom about what to do with all the beets we got, I feel like maybe I have been missing some thing with all of you talking about it.

So with your influence I will now try some and not jsut send them all off to my Granny.

Re: pickled beets?
 

:tu Except that we'll have to wait at least six weeks to find out if you liked them!

---------- Post added at 11:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 AM ----------

I totally forgot to pull out a jar last night with supper. :doh I was all keen on a pile of pickled beets with my favourite stuffed chicken breast recipe, roasted baby potatoes and asparagus... because of your thread, of course. I needed a new jar from the basement, though, so I forgot about them. I'll just have to have a little dish of them for lunch. :giggle

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...7/DSC_3531.jpg

Re: pickled beets?
 

will I need to peel them?

Re: pickled beets?
 

Yep.

Re: pickled beets?
 

Ooo, I love pickled beets, and I love eggs in pickled beet juice even better! What I really want to try is fermenting beets, like sauerkraut.

Re: pickled beets?
 

Don't peel them before you boil them. When they're done cooking, you drain them and dump them into a big bowl or clean sink full of cold water. Start rubbing the beets with your hands once they've cooled enough to handle. The peel will start sliding off super easy. Just keep rubbing it off until all the peel is gone. Even the top bit of the beet where the leaves grew from will rub off and leave a nice clean top. You can pinch off that couple inches of thin root that you left on while boiling (leaving some top and root on while boiling helps colour retention somewhat). Careful when you're doing all this because beets stain if you don't take care of splashes right away.

Re: pickled beets?
 

Oh jeepers... I just realized that I forgot to say in the recipe that that 30 min. processing time is for 500 ml (US pint) jars only. I don't know what the time would be with a smaller or larger jar, but it would definitely be different. Hope this info isn't too late!