Canning Recipe for Pickled Beets: A Sweet and Savory Delight
Pickled beets are a delicious and vibrant addition to any meal. Their sweet and tangy flavor, vibrant color, and crunchy texture make them a favorite side dish, salad topper, or even a snack. Making your own pickled beets is surprisingly simple, allowing you to control the sweetness and spice to your liking. Here’s a step-by-step guide to canning delicious pickled beets at home:
Ingredients You'll Need:
- Beets: Choose fresh, firm beets with smooth skins. About 2 pounds will yield enough for 4 pint jars.
- Water: Use filtered or bottled water for best results.
- Vinegar: White vinegar or apple cider vinegar, both work well.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar is preferred.
- Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt are good options.
- Pickling Spice: This is a blend of spices typically including cloves, allspice, mustard seed, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
- Optional additions: Fresh dill, garlic cloves, or a pinch of red pepper flakes can add extra flavor.
Equipment Needed:
- Large pot: For boiling the beets.
- Jar lifter: To safely remove hot jars from boiling water.
- Canning jars: Pint-sized jars are ideal.
- Jar lids and bands: Make sure the lids are new and unused.
- Canning rack: For holding jars in the boiling water bath.
- Large pot for water bath: The pot needs to be large enough to submerge the jars by at least 2 inches.
- Measuring cups and spoons: For precise ingredient measurements.
- Ladle: To easily pour the pickling brine into jars.
- Tongs: For handling the beets.
- Clean kitchen towels: For drying the jars.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Prepare the beets: Wash the beets thoroughly and trim off the greens, leaving about 1 inch of stem attached. Place the beets in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the beets are tender.
- Cool and peel the beets: Once the beets are cooked, drain the water and let the beets cool slightly. You can then easily slip off the skins using your fingers or a vegetable peeler.
- Slice or dice the beets: Depending on your preference, you can slice the beets into rounds or dice them into smaller pieces.
- Prepare the pickling brine: While the beets are cooling, prepare the pickling brine. Combine water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pickling spice in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pack the jars: Wash and sterilize the canning jars and lids. Fill each jar with the sliced or diced beets, leaving about 1 inch of headspace.
- Pour the brine: Carefully pour the hot pickling brine over the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace. Use a spoon to remove any air bubbles that may have formed.
- Wipe the rims: Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any food particles or brine residue.
- Seal the jars: Place the lids on the jars and tighten the bands firmly.
- Water bath processing: Place the jars on a canning rack in a large pot filled with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and maintain a steady boil for 30 minutes.
- Cool and store: After 30 minutes, carefully remove the jars from the boiling water bath using a jar lifter and place them on a clean towel to cool completely. You should hear the lids "pop" as they seal. Once cooled, store the jars in a cool, dark place.
Tips and Variations:
- Sweet and Spicy Beets: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the brine for a hint of heat.
- Garlic Infused Beets: Add a few cloves of garlic to the jars with the beets.
- Dill Pickles Beets: Add a few sprigs of fresh dill to the jars for a refreshing, herbal flavor.
- Beet Relish: Instead of slicing or dicing the beets, grate them for a delicious beet relish.
Enjoy your homemade pickled beets! They are a delicious and nutritious addition to any meal. You can enjoy them straight from the jar, or use them in salads, sandwiches, or as a side dish.
