 |
Prep Time: 120 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes |
Ready In: 145 Minutes Servings: 6 |
|
These are my Mom's Beets...She taught me to make them many years ago. She learned to make them as a young bride, and, in turn, passed the recipe and how-to's down to me. Once you get the beets boiled, and skinned, the rest is a piece of cake! They're awesome!! *note: Prep time is a guess...Depends on how fast you work!) Ingredients:
6 -7 lbs beets, with tops (2 to 2 and a 1/2 inch) |
water |
4 cups cider vinegar (5% acidity) |
2 cups sugar |
2 cups water |
1/4 cup pickling salt |
2 cinnamon sticks (2 inch) |
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves |
1 -2 medium onion, sliced |
Directions:
1. Wash beets. 2. Trim tops to about 3 inches and leave on root ends. 3. Place cleaned beets in an 8 to 10 quart saucepan, and cover with water. 4. Cover, and cook beets over medium-high heat til skins slip off easily, about 20 minutes. 5. Drain and discard water. 6. Trim off tops and roots, slip skins off. 7. Slice beets about 1/4 inch thick. 8. In a 4 to 6 quart saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, 2 cups water, pickling salt, and spices. 9. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 10. (Keep brine mixture hot while you fill jars with beets and onions). 11. Fill each jar with a layer of beets, first, then, a layer of onion slices. 12. As you add layers, push down gently with a wood spoon. 13. Pack jars just to bottom of the neck of the jar. 14. I always set the packed jar in a pan of hot water, (fill hot water to about 1/2 way up the jar, and put a table knife down inside the jar between the beets and the inside surface of the jar.- This helps to keep the jar from breaking when adding the hot brine). 15. Slowly, pour brine in jar until beets are covered over about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. 16. Move table knife gently in an up and down motion, all around the jar to remove any air bubbles. 17. Clean the rim of the jar and threads with a wet cloth, set hot, sterilized seal cap on top, place ring on, and cinch down firmly- not too tight, but, firm. 18. Place filled jars in Boiling Water Canner, hot, gently boiling water to cover jars, place lid on canner, and process for about 30 minutes. |
|