6.23.2010

11-22 Carla Hansen's Pickled Beets - SUPER delicious!

Select small, young beets, cook until tender, dip into cold water. Peel off skins.

Make the following syrup:

2 cups sugar
2 cups water or beet juice
2 cups strong vinegar
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Pour over beets and boil 10 minutes. Pack into sterilized quart jars and seal at once.

USU Extension service says to process 40 minutes in a water bath. You will have to decide how many beets you have as to how many batches of syrup you make. Be sure to stir it altogether good and then bottle. The spices all go to the bottom of the jar so I shake them up good before I open them. This recipe is from an old Kerr book. USU Ext. would have you put more vinegar in them too, but it would ruin them and I haven`t ever had any trouble with them and they keep for years. Enjoy! If your beets are big, just cut them up. I put them in a big pan when they are cooked and make enough syrup to put over them so it looks like it would fit in the quarts.