This pickled beets recipe is taken from an old family cookbook; where ingredients are mentioned, but measurements are not. Meals produced from these recipes were always wonderful, but preparing them with success today without quantities requires creative guesswork. After a little experimentation, we found the measurement proportions necessary to achieve the old-fashioned pickled beets flavor we recall so fondly. Here, measurements are determined based on the volume of red beets we gathered from our garden one day this summer. Simply adjust our recipe to complement your starting quantity of red beets or the final yield you desire. I began with approximately 15 quarts of whole red beets; finished with 11 full quarts of pickled beets; and had just about two cups of pickling juice remaining. You can use any extra pickling juice as a salad dressing for fresh cucumbers or tomatoes. Otherwise, decrease the vinegar and water quantities in your recipe. Pickled Red Beets †15 quarts whole red beets †2 quarts cider vinegar †4 quarts water †4 cups sugar †2 tsp salt †1/2 tsp pepper Yield: 11 quarts Wash quart jars in hot soapy water. Because they will boil with the red beets for 10 minutes, sterilizing them prior to filling is not necessary. Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer. Remove from heat and place your canning lids in this hot water. Keep them in the hot water until you are ready to seal your jars. While the beets are cooking, fill your water bath canner midway with water and bring the water to a boil. When it reaches a boil, turn off the heat. Suspend the canning rack in your water bath canner by locking its handles over the sides of the canner. Remove greens from the red beets and wash them under cold water. Place whole, unpeeled beets in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and heat to a boil. Decrease heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain. Cover with cold water. While the beets are still warm but cool enough to handle, slip off the skins. (They will slip off without your having to use a peeler as long as you keep the beets submerged in water.) After you clear away the skins, slice the beets into uniform 1/4†slices. Fill each quart jar with beets. Pack them tightly if your intention is to serve them as they are. If you plan to use them in recipes for pickled eggs and need more pickling juice for the recipe, then pack them loosely. Leave 1/2†of headspace in each jar. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pepper to a fresh stockpot and bring this pickling mixture to a boil. After it boils and the sugar is dissolved, turn off the burner. Pour the pickling juice over the red beets filling each jar to leave 1/4†of headspace. Put a canning lid and band on every jar and twist the band until snug. Place each jar in your water bath canner, which already contains hot water. After you fill the rack with your first batch of jars, lower the rack into the water. Ensure that the jars and the lids are covered with water (lids should be 1†below the surface of the water). Heat the water bath to a boil and cover with a lid. Boil for 10 minutes. After boiling for 10 minutes, turn off the heat. With insulated mitts or hot pads, lift the jar rack and suspend it from the sides of the water bath canner. Place a kitchen towel on your counter and using a jar lifter, remove each jar from the rack and place it on the towel or cutting board. Ensure that each band is twisted on snuggly and enable the jars to cool while the lids seal themselves. (Lids are sealed when their centers have slight indentations in them and when pressed, the lids have no movement. If they pop or wiggle up and down in the middle, they are not sealed.) After the jars have cooled and the lids are sealed, carefully remove the bands. Store your pickled red beets in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. Serve cold or at room temperature. Refrigerate opened jars. To see our analysis of the Ball enamel water bath canning kit and to find the lowest prices for these Ball canning supplies, please visit us at toolsforkitchens.com.
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