This week after spending his therapy time in the garden, Mark came in and said there are a few beets picked in the fridge downstairs. So I go down to the garage and I was not surprised to find two grocery bags full of beets. I had planned to take care of them on Saturday, but the 100+ temperatures and the lure of a swimming pool left those poor beets sitting for an extra day. So today I promised myself that after church I would force myself to get them canned.
I use my husband's Aunt Annie Hudock's beet recipe. She was a sweet lady who had a huge garden knew her canning and she explained to me many years ago how to make her pickled beets. My husband and his sister just love them, so I try to make them every year. It's not hard to do, but it is a messy process. So if you'd like to try it, be prepared to have an apron or like me an old T-shirt. I'd suggest gloves too. I don't like the feel of using a knife with them, but I do end up with pink fingers for a few days :-) Today I worked while listening Classic Country. It was a perfect background for my work.
Aunt Annie's Pickled Beets
Make sure all of your jars are in good condition with no chips or cracks. Wash the jars...I used 14 pint's for the two bags of beets. (These were your standard plastic grocery bags.) I usually run them through the dish washer. Leave them closed in the dishwasher and they will stay warm until you are ready to use them.
Rinse off any outside soil. It would be nice if Mark would do this when they are first picked, but he usually just brings them home mud and all. You can do this outside with a garden hose. Then wash with a soft vegetable brush. When you bring them in you'll need a sharp knife to remove the greens from the top. If the beets are young, these greens are great to add to salad. Cut the tops and bottom tips off of the beats. And set aside. Meanwhile, have a large pot of water set to boil. With a slotted spoon, drop the beets into the water for a few minutes to blanch them and remove to a colander. This will help in removing the peels. The beets will be very hot so rinse in cold water and make sure they are cool before handling them.
Once the beets are cool enough to handle peel and slice into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. I also make them cut into cubes. They are great this way for a salad topping. You can also leave them whole if they are small and round. Somehow we never seem to get them picked soon enough to do that. Mark also plants a variety that are shaped like thick carrots. These are really nice for making the slices. When finished peeling we add the peels to our compost pile. My daughter Kelly, a Registered Dietitian, tells me that these deep red vegetables are full of all kinds of nutrients, so I 'm hoping the peels will be a nice boost to the compost.
While you are preparing the beets you need to be making the brine. In a large pot add 1 quart of white vinegar, 1 quart of water, and 1 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil, making sure the sugar is dissolved.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of canning salt to each pint jar and pack with beets. Using a ladle pour hot brine over the beets. Insert a knife along the edge of the beets to remove any air bubbles. Place lids and screw tops on jars.
I've learned two ways to complete the canning process. One is the hot water bath method and the other is with a pressure canner. I have had success with both methods. When using the pressure canner make sure to follow all of the manufacturers' instructions and recommendations for pressure settings and times. Today I used the hot water bath method, which is how Aunt Annie told me to do it, placing the jars in a canning pot surrounded by water. Make sure the jars are not touching. Bring water to boil, cover and continue to boil for 30 minutes. Remove from canner and place on a clean kitchen towel on the counter to cool completely. You will hear the jars "pop" as they seal. Label with date and store in a cool dry pantry. You're done!
A lot of you will wonder what I do with all of those beets. They are great in salad. You can take a jar and add it to some hard boiled eggs and in a few hours have pickled eggs. I make a Polish dish my mom used to make shredding them and adding horseradish and sugar. Family members really enjoy this at Easter with their ham or on a ham sandwich. I'm patiently waiting for a recipe from a Latvian relative who makes a wonderful potato salad with diced beets. I also found out today that my dog Foster likes them A few dropped on the floor and on a whim I threw them into the dog bowl. They disappeared in an instant!
