Sunday, April 7, 2013

Canned Beets, Spicy Pickled Beets and Beet Relish


I love beets! When they are in-season and fresh at the Farmer's Market, I always pick up a bunch or two. Love them sliced and steamed with butter, salt and pepper, canned or pickled. Any way you want works for me.

Regular Canned Beets
Ingredients
4 lbs beets
Salt
Water

Directions
Wash beets. Trim greens; set aside for steamed beet greens or beet green salad. Leave 2 inches of stem and tap root. Boil until skins slip off; trim. Slice, dice or leave small beets whole.

Pack beets into hot jars, leaving 1-inch head space. Add 1/2 tsp salt to each pint and 1 tsp salt to each quart (optional).

Ladle boiling water over beets, leaving 1-inch head space. Remove air bubbles by running a knife around the inside of the jars.

Adjust two-piece caps. Process pints 30 minutes, quarts 35 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure in a pressure canner.

Spicy Pickled Beets
Ingredients
4 lbs. beets
3 cups thinly sliced onion (optional)
2 1/2 cups vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 tbls mustard seed
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
3 sticks cinnamon, broken

Directions
Wash and drain beets. Leave 2 inches of stems and tap roots. Cover with boiling water and cook until tender.

Remove peel; trim ends, and cut into slices, then quarter.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add beets and cook until hot throughout. Remove cinnamon sticks.

Pack hot beets into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space; ladle hot pickling liquid over beets. Remove air bubbles by running a knife around the inside of the jars.

Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 30 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Yield:  about 4 pints

Beet Relish
Ingredients
1 quart chopped, cooked beets (about 12 medium)
1 quart chopped cabbage (about 1 small head)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped sweet red peppers (about 2 small)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 tbsp salt
3 cups vinegar

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan. Simmer 10 minutes, bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Adjust two-piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. 

Yield:  about 5 pints or 10 half-pints

Health Benefits of Beets:  http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/beets.html

Enjoy,
Mary

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