Canning Pickled Beets
A simple and easy recipe for canning homemade pickled beets. This tangy pickled vegetable recipe is a new take on a classic, like grandma used to make, but with less sugar and more flavor.
Servings: 4 pints
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beets {to yield 6 cups}
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp canning salt
- 1 tbsp dill seed
Instructions
Canning Prep
- Wash and clean your jars. Fill with hot water or keep them warm in a clean dishwasher or oven.
- Wash your lids with hot soapy water. Rinse and place them in a clean bowl.
Prep the Beets
- Cut the beet top and root end off. Place the root end on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut downward to remove the skin.4 lbs beets
- Depending on the size of the beets, cut them into quarters or slices.
- To steam: place beets in a pot fitted with a steamer insert. Add water to the pot and place the beets in the insert. Place the lid over the pot and cook on medium-low for 10-15 minutes.
- To boil: cover beets with water and cook on medium-high for 15-20 minutes. Strain and rinse in cold water.
- Add 3 quarts of water to your pressure canner and put it on a burner set to high. Make sure there is a canning rack in the bottom of the canner.
- In a large pot, combine white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, canning salt, and dill seed.2 cups white vinegar, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 1/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp canning salt, 1 tbsp dill seed
- Bring to a boil and heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Add the beets and cook in the brine for 5 minutes.
Canning the Pickled Beets
- Using a canning funnel, carefully add hot beets to prepared jars.
- Ladle in the hot brine, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
- Using a long utensil (I prefer a plastic chopstick), remove air bubbles from the jar.
- Clean the rim of the jar very well with a hot damp rag. Any food debris left on the rim may impact the seal of the lid in the canner.
- Place a clean lid on the jar. Add a ring, and tighten it to fingertip tight.
- Using canning tongs, gently place the jars in the canner. Lock the lid. Soon, steam will start coming through the vent pipe.
- Allow the steam to pass through for about 10 minutes. Then put the pressure regulator on top.
- Pretty soon, the air vent will pop up.
- In a dial-gauge pressure canner, process pints and quarts based on the elevation guide below (see processing chart in post for additional altitude adjustments):*0-2,000f ft {PSI: 11 lbs of pressure} = Pints 30 min, Quarts 35 min*2,001-4,000k ft {PSI: 12 lbs of pressure} = Pints 30 min, Quarts 35 min*4,001-6,000k ft {PSI 13 lbs of pressure} = Pints 30 min, Quarts 35 min*6,001-8,000k {PSI 14 lbs of pressure} = Pints 30 min, Quarts 35 min
- When the dial gauge reaches the appropriate PSI, reduce the burner temp to medium, and start your timer. The pressure must stay at the PSI or (a little bit) above for the duration of the cooking time.
- When the time is up, remove the canner from the burner and allow it to sit until you hear a distinctive “click” of the air vent dropping. Remove the pressure regulator and carefully remove the lid of the canner (Pro tip: use oven mitts to take the lid off because the steam is super hot).
- Let the jars sit for 5 minutes in the canner and then lift them out with canning tongs
- Place on a thick clean towel undisturbed for 12 hours.
- After a few hours, to check for sealing, gently press down in the middle of the lid. If the lid has no give, it’s sealed. If you can press the lid in and it pops a bit, your jars are not sealed.
Notes
- Store in a cool dark place for 12-18 months.
- For seven quarts, you’ll need ~21 pounds. For nine pints, you’ll need ~14 pounds.