Pickled Beets -- Love 'Em or Leave 'Em?

So pickled beets are an acquired taste, I know.  Many people either love 'em or leave 'em.  I find that people who like tart/tangy things like sour foods and pickles like them.  My picky eater DS1 will eat only select vegetables: raw carrots, corn on the cob, fresh salad, broccoli [on occasion - steamed with lemon], and pickled beets.  So I planted beets last year -- with the intention of canning pickled beets; the homemade ones have much more flavor!  I got 6 pints out of last year's crop -- so I tripled the planting this year!  So far I'm at 11 pints and more still growing in the ground.

FYI beets are a cold-weather root vegetable.  They need the cold to germinate; planting in July is not going to get you much.  They are about 55 days to harvest.  The deep purple variety are the most commonly grown (aka the garden beet); I planted back in April, and did a second planting where the groundhog robbed me of a few sprouts.  And for the last month I've been harvesting!  They will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks (or more, if it's cold and in a good veggie bag).  I use the green zipper produce bags to keep things in my fridge until I get enough to make the canning worth my while.  Things typically last 1-3 weeks in those!

I'm on my second batch of pickled beets -- the first was about a month ago.  We don't eat them any other way (though I may get gutsy and try a beet salad this year).  My kids and I can down a pint at a meal, though the husband (healthy eater extraordinaire) turns his nose at them!  Ironic, huh?  Isn't it said that the darker the color of a veggie, the healthier it is?

So here's the how-to on one of the boy's favorite veggies -- Pickled Beets!

Pick [pull, really] the goods  --  they look like this (left) out of the ground.  The chickens LOVE the greens.  Or you can use tender greens in a salad, I've heard.  Not tried it myself, though.


Clean, Cook, & Drain -- Cook for 30-45 minutes in steamer basket (minimizes vitamin loss) until fork-tender.  My mother in law suggested the pressure cooker, but I've not done it that way, yet.  Drain and let cool a little so they can be peeled.

Syrup -- Start simmering the solution that will pickle the beets, at this time.  The Ball Blue Book recipe calls for whole cinnamon sticks and whole allspice.  This recipe is a solution of spices, sugar, vinegar, salt and water (get the book to get the proportions please -- never guess on canning recipes!).  Now's a good time to start your boiling water canner, too, as it takes a while to boil.

peeled

Peel, Slice & Pack -- Peel the beets, then slice (if desired) and pack in hot/sterile canning jars.  Often the peels will slide off the cooked beets, if they don't use a veggie peeler and it will do the trick!

cover

sliced

release any bubbles

Cover -- Ladle liquid over the beets, leave 1/4" headspace.  Use a plastic tool to remove air bubbles in the jars, and place the two-piece caps.

packed

Process -- Time to can it, gang!  Process in boiling water bath canner (front left in the photo) for the prescribed amount of time.  Remove and let cool away from drafts for 24 hours; test seals and put in storage!

four burners -- canning central

Voila' -- tasty veggies that will last the winter!  Friends have said how much they dislike beets -- but to me pickled beets are like veggie candy!

I love the way canning extends the garden through our whole year!