Spiced Pickled Beets Canning Recipe

My Hubs loves anything that’s pickled, so this year he specifically grew fresh beets to make into spiced beet pickles. Actually, we both enjoy pickled beets, so they are a standard at our house. They are so handy to have on hand for snacking, to help stretch a meal, or to add some extra flavor to a simple weeknight meal.

This is the old recipe my Mom used for old fashioned pickled beets, and I wouldn’t ever consider making any other one, it’s my tried and true standard. I love the spices in this recipe and it makes your home smell amazing while making it.

Prepare Your Canning Area

Pickles are high in acid so they are straightforward to make, and can be done in a water bath canner. The only thing you need to be aware of is cleanliness. Pay attention to how clean everything you use is, clean counters, towels, jars, and well-washed hands. You want to avoid bacteria as much as possible.

Note: One of the best online references for canning is the National Center for Home Food Preservation. It’s a great resource and free to use.https://nchfp.uga.edu/

Canning Equipment

You need a few basic items for the canning pickled beets

• Water bath canner with metal ring bottom
• Canning jar lifter, tongs
• Funnel (optional)
• Rubber gloves (optional)
• Sealable canning jars with rings, and brand-new metal lids. Do not reuse canning lids.

Sterilize the Jars, Rings, and Lids

There are four ways to sterilize jars, in the oven, dishwasher, microwave, and stovetop. This simple recipe makes 6 pint-sized jars of beet pickles so I suggest simply boiling the jars, lids, and rings

Wash and rinse your jars. Take a very large pot, and fill it with hot ( not boiling) water. Place the canning jars open-side up into the pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the jars plus an inch. If you have room you can place your rings and lids in the same pot, if not place them in a second pot and boil like the jars. Some new lids say they don’t need to be boiled, read the label of the lids you use to be sure when in doubt boil.

Spiced Pickled Beets Recipe

This recipe makes about 6 pint jars or 3 quart jars, we had lots of beets so we did a double batch while taking the video and images for this post.

Ingredients

Step One – Cook the Beets

Before canning beets into pickles, you have to cook the beets and remove the outer skin. You can boil beets or roast beets, I prefer boiling them, to having the oven on in the summer. So that’s the method I will use.

Begin by trimming the beet tops to about an inch, and wash the beets well. You don’t want to cut the stems too short as it may cause the beautiful colored juice to drain out of the beets.

Place the beets in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and cook until tender (until you can pierce them with a fork), about 15 minutes to half an hour depending on the size of your beets. Large beets take longer to cook than small beets.

While the beets cook, make your pickling brine.

Step Two – Make the Pickling Brine

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine the 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 2 cups vinegar, and spices. Stir the pickling liquid over medium heat until the sugar melts. Once it comes to a boil lower the temperature to simmer, while you finish with the beets.

Step Three- Remove Beet Skins and Fill Jars

Drain the boiled beets, in a colander over the sink. Let the beets sit until cool enough to handle with your hands. Hubs don’t bother, but I like to wear rubber gloves when peeling the skins off the beets. The juice from the beets can stain your hands pink.

Be careful beets can be quite hot. Cut the stems off the top of the beet. The skin peels off quite easily, with a little help from a small paring knife for any spots that happen to stick. I like to do this under cool water.

Step Five – Fill the Mason Jars

Slice and pack the sliced beets into hot jars, leaving 1-inch head space.

1. Once the jars are filled using a funnel and ladle, transfer the hot brine over the beet, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Place a thin rubber spatula down the side of the jar to release any air bubbles.

2. Wipe the top of the jar with a clean cloth or damp paper towel.

3 Using the tongs, lift a jar lid and place it on the hot jar.

4 Add the ring, and finger tighten to close.

Process pints and quarts for 30 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Step Six- Water Bath Canning the Beets

When my Mom first made this recipe she didn’t water bath pickles, we just hot-sealed them. Modern recipes include water bathing, it’s not hard to do, and safety first, so I water bath my pickles now. This is how to water bath your beet pickles to make sure the jars seal.

Fill a water bath canner so that the water level is high enough to fully submerge the jars. Bring the water in the canner to a boil.

Place the hot jars of beet pickled into the water canning using a jar lifter. Reheat the water canner until the water returns to a boil.

Time the canning from the second the water starts to boil again. Boil the jarred beet pickles for 30 minutes. Don’t overcook them.

Once the time is up, remove the beet pickles using the rubber canning jar lifter. Place on a cutting board covered with a cloth and let cool to room temperature undisturbed. This takes between 12 and 24 hours. You will hear the jar lids pop as they seal.

To test if the jars are sealed press the middle of the lid, if the lid springs up when you release your finger, the lid is unsealed.

You can eat your canned beets as soon as they cool down. If you have a jar that doesn’t seal place the beet pickles in the fridge and use them a week.

Storing Pickled Beets

Canned pickled beets can be kept in a cool dark place away from moisture and heat for up to 12 months. When storing beets I like to write the date it was canned on top with a Sharpie. If giving as a gift use one of the pretty labels in the Pretty DIY Home Printable Library for subscribers.

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