This sweet pickled beets recipe is for canning in a water bath or steam canner. It is a traditional sweet pickle recipe, great for variety. In combination with the vinegar, it creates a sweet and sour flavor. Yum!
Having canned food on hand makes for an instant meal. And if it’s all homegrown and homemade, it’s even better. To find all the canning recipes we have shared, go here.
What beets to use for pickling?
We grow different varieties of beets to use in different recipes. We store beets in cold storage, freeze them in 3 ways, ferment, can, and pickle.
For storage, it’s best to use large, blemish-free beets. However, when it comes to canning, any size of beet will work. Feel free to use whatever you have available, including small baby beets or larger beets that you can cut into bite-sized pieces.
For variety, dark-colored beets work best. When immersed in sugar and spices, the specific type of beet becomes less important. The beautiful striped or yellow beets won’t retain their color and might be better suited for salads or roasting.
Preparing the beets for pickling
Trim the tops off freshly harvested beets, leaving about 1/2 inch to prevent the beets from bleeding during cooking. Next, wash the beets thoroughly and layer them in a large pot. You will need approximately 10 cups of beets for six 500 ml (pint) jars.
Start by placing the largest beets at the bottom, as they take the longest to cook. Add about 2 inches of water to the pot; there’s no need to completely submerge the beets if your pot has a fairly tight-fitting lid. Cook the beets for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on their size.
The beets can be peeled right away under cold running water, or let them cool slightly and then peel them dry.
Now cut off the root and stem. Save them for a borscht soup. Small beets can be left whole, bigger sliced, or cubed.
Prepare the jars and lids
The sweet pickled beets recipe is a traditional one that a friend shared with me many years ago. It instructs to sterilize the jars and boil the lids. However, I no longer do this. Since the jars will be processed for 30 minutes, they will be heated and sterilized during that time. Just make sure the jars and lids are clean.
Wash the new lids. I always cover them with boiled water for about 10 minutes. However, even that is not needed with the new lids. They can be left at room temperature.
Sweet pickled beets recipe
- 10 cups prepared beets
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- 6 small bay leaves
- 6 cloves
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups of water
- 2 cups sugar
- In each jar, place 1 of each: a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, and a clove.
- Fill the jars with prepared beets, leaving 1.2 cm (1/2 inch) headspace
- Combine vinegar, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
- Cover the beets with the liquid, again leaving 1 cm (1/2 inch) headspace
- Remove air bubbles, top up liquid if needed
- Cover with lids and screw on bands finger tight.
- Process in a water bath or steam canner for 30 minutes
Note: This is a traditional recipe with a high sugar content; use it at your own discretion.
If you want to reduce your sugar intake, you can. In this case, I would suggest you follow the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Use for the liquid ingredients:
2 1/2 white vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Bring to a boil and proceed as explained in the recipe.
Let the jars cool on a towel, check the seals, and store them for use.
We invite you to subscribe to Northern Homestead and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest for the latest updates.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I live on a zone 3 rural property and I have learned so much.
Happy to hear. We are in a process of baying a zone 3 rural property, looking forward to learning and sharing so much more.