Our household loves beets. Raw or cooked they are delicious. They are nutritionally great for you as well. So let's pickle them for a change.
Ingredients
6 medium to large fresh beets, scrubbed and tops cut off
2 cups sugar
2 cups cider vinegar (real--not cider flavored)
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tablespoon whole allspice
3 Tablespoons pickling spice
Serves / Yields
3 quarts
Preparation
Put beets in a large saucepan or stockpot and add enough cold water to cover them with 3 inches over the top. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to maintain a slow boil. Cook until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes. Pour water off and let beets cool. Slip skins off once the beets are cool enough to handle. Slice and set aside.
Place the sugar, cider vinegar, water, salt, and spices in a smaller saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour this pickling liquid into a large glass jar (1.5 liter or 1/2 gallon), add the sliced beets, cover with a lid and refrigerate. Let the beets sit at least a week before tasting. They should keep in the refrigerator for up to six months.
Note: I like to add some sprigs of rosemary as well as sliced onions to the beets before adding the liquid.
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