Pickled Beets, Revisited

It seems that beets aren't always a favorite with a lot of people. Maybe it's the fact that everything they touch turns red, pink or purple......but I have always loved beets! Maybe it's because my first meeting with them was in the pickled form that my Grandma would always make.

When I met Ryan I would try to get him to taste beets but he wanted none of them. I would tell him that they had to be super healthy with that deep of a color and full of lots of vitamins. I would later learn how truly healthy they really are and what a powerful blood cleanser that they where too.

I did convince him to let me plant them in the garden years ago since he did like steamed beet greens. It has taken us a few years but we have gotten pretty good at growing a good crop of beets. And early on I started pickling them. Eventually I convinced Ryan to try them on a salad and now like just last night he was sticking his fork in the jar at the table and just eating them plain!

After eating a few and saying how much he loves pickled beets I asked him if he remembered how hard I had to try to get him to just taste them. He then said that, "There are a lot of things that he enjoys eating now that he didn't think he liked back in the day." I'm just glad he enjoys them now!

In fact it was his idea to try roasting them this year with other root veggies and it is now one of our favorite fall/winter dishes! I just want to give a big thank you to all those husbands (especially mine) with open minded taste buds! ;)

For my original "Grandma's Pickled Beets Made Healthier" post click here.

Grandma's Pickled Beets Made Healthier

3 gallon bags of raw beets with leaves cut off

2 teaspoons allspice

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves

3 cups raw apple cider vinegar

3 cups water

4-6 cups Sucanat

2 1/2 teaspoons Real Salt

Cut the bottom tail and top stem off beets and cut in half or quarter depending on size of beet. In very large pot boil beets until tender then drain (I usually save the water and put it in the fridge and add to smoothies, keeps for a week or more)

Place the beets in cold water then peel by using a knife and slipping the skins off. (Some came off easier then others.)  See my "Can't Beet the Harvest" post for more about peeling and canning beets.

Cut the beets into medium sized chunks.

While beets are cooking, tie spices except for salt, into a spice bag or piece of cotton cloth. 

In a medium large pot add the water, salt and vinegar. Place bag of spices into brine and bring to a low simmer for about 10 minutes.

In clean quart jars fill a quarter of the way with brine and then fill with the cooked and peeled beets. Add more brine to the first lip on the jar leaving about an inch to 2 inches of room at the top being sure the beets are covered.

Clean rims of jars and add sterilized lids and rings to jars. Be sure rings are on tightly place in water bath canner with water covering jars by about an inch. Bring to a boil and let boil for 10-15 minutes then remove from pot with jar lifter and let cool. Be sure all lids have sealed before storing on shelves. In the event that a lit does not seal keep that jar in fridge.

Makes about 7-8 quart jars.