October Sky

I haven't posted in a while because we've been busy redoing the kitchen at the big house.  I could have the biggest kitchen in the world and probably still would be short on pantry space since I can year round!  As I've said before, fall is a favorite time of mine to can certain things.  One of the things I love to can during fall are pickled beets.  These ruby red jewels are not only tasty but are beautiful on the shelf. 

Let's face it, when you buy or harvest beets they aren't the most attractive things and sometimes they can be downright ugly!  Their true beauty comes out when you cook them and the beautiful red color comes out, kind of like the ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan!  I especially love canning them on a cold fall night for some reason.

I admit it, I like eating pickled beets cold.  Sometimes, I'll open a jar and also use the left over juice to pickle hardboiled eggs.  I love the way the juice turns the hard boiled eggs a pretty pink color.  I remember some of my relatives used to make pickled hardboiled eggs, what a treat those were!

Pickled Beets

3 Tablespoons of pickling spice

2 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

10 cups of prepared beets

***To get your beets prepared, scrub beets thoroughly and sort by size.  Place larger beets on the bottom in pot and smaller ones on top.  Add water to cover.  Boil and cook until tender, about 20 to 40 minutes depending on size of beets.  Remove beets from pot and run under cool water. Drain and slip off skins.  Quarter or slice the beets (I usually do some of both) and set aside.

Once your beets are ready to go, prepare canner, jars, and lids.  Tie pickling spice in a square of cheesecloth, creating  spice bag.  In a large stainless steel pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and spice bag.  Bring to boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Reduce heat and boil gently for 15 minutes, until spices have infused the liquid.  Discard spice bag.  Add beets and return mixture to a boil.

Using a slotted spoon, ladle beets into hot jars to within a generous 1/2 inch of top of jar.  Ladle hot pickling liquid into jar to cover beets, leaving 1/2 headspace.  Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if needed, by adding more hot pickling liquid.  Wipe rim, put lid on jar, and screw band down until fingertip tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water.  Bring to a boil and process for 30 minutes.  Remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars.  Allow jars to cool and then store them.

Makes about six pints