After a little experimenting, we determined the measurement proportions necessary to achieve the classic pickled beets flavor we remember so fondly. Here, measurements are determined based on the quantity of red beets we gathered from our garden one day this summer.
Simply adjust our recipe to complement your starting quantity of red beets or the final yield you want. I began with roughly 15 quarts of whole red beets; finished with 11 full quarts of pickled beets; and had nearly two cups of pickling juice remaining. You can use the extra pickling juice as a salad dressing for fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. Otherwise, decrease the vinegar and water measurements in your recipe.
Pickled Red Beets
? 15 quarts whole red beets
? 2 quarts cider vinegar
? 4 quarts water
? 4 cups sugar
? 2 tsp salt
? 1/2 tsp pepper
Yield: 11 quarts
Wash your quart jars in hot soapy water. Because they will boil with their contents for 10 minutes, sterilizing them prior to filling is not essential.
Heat a small saucepan of water to a simmer. Remove from heat and place your canning lids in this hot water. Keep them in the water until you are ready to seal your jars.
While the beets are cooking, fill your water bath canner halfway with water and bring the water to a boil. When it reaches a boil, turn off the burner. Hang the canning rack in your water bath canner by locking its handles over the sides of the canner.
Remove greens from the red beets and clean them under cool water. Put whole, unpeeled beets in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and heat to a boil. Decrease heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain. Cover with cold water.
While the beets are still warm but cool enough to handle, slide off the skins. (They will slide off without your having to use a peeler as long as you keep the beets submerged in water.) After you clear away the skins, slice the beets into uniform 1/4? slices.
Fill each quart jar with beets. Pack them tightly if your intention is to serve them as they are. If you plan to use them in recipes for pickled eggs and need more pickling juice for the recipe, then pack them loosely. Leave 1/2? of headspace in each jar.
Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper to a fresh cookpot and bring this pickling mixture to a boil. As soon as it boils and the sugar is dissolved, turn off the burner.
Pour this pickling juice over the red beets filling each jar to leave 1/4? of headspace. Place a canning lid and band on every jar and twist the band until snug. Put each jar in your water bath canner, which already contains hot water.
After you fill the rack with the first batch of jars, lower the rack into the water. Make sure that the jars and their lids are covered with water (lids should be 1? below the surface of the water). Heat the water bath to a boil and cover it with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes.
After boiling for 10 minutes, turn off the heat. With insulated mitts or hot pads, raise the jar rack and suspend it from the sides of your water bath canner. Place a kitchen towel on your countertop and utilizing a jar lifter, remove each jar from the rack and place it on the towel.
Make sure that each band is twisted on snuggly and permit the jars to cool while the lids seal themselves. (Lids are sealed when their centers have slight indentations in them and when pressed, the lids have no movement. If they pop or wiggle up and down in the center, they are not sealed.)
After the jars have cooled and the lids seal themselves, carefully remove the bands. Store your pickled red beets in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12 months. Serve cold or at room temperature. Refrigerate opened jars.
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