Old Fashioned Pickled Beets Recipe

Six jars of pickled beets on a wooden counter with beet leaves.

5 from 3 votes

Old Fashioned Pickled Beets Recipe

There's something special about biting into a homemade pickled beet. It takes you right back to your grandma's kitchen, doesn't it? These old-fashioned pickled beets are tangy, sweet, and full of that earthy beet flavor we all love.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: All Recipes, condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: pint jars

Calories: 90kcal

Author: Jeri Walker

Ingredients

5 pounds red beets
4 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar
4 cups white vinegar
1 teaspoon pickling salt or coarse salt
4 tablespoon pickling spice

Instructions

Prepare the Beets: Wash the beets and trim the tops, leaving 2 inches of stem intact. Place the whole beets in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, roughly 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Drain and rinse cooked beets under cold water. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins. Slice the cooked beets into chunks or wedges.
Make Pickling Brine: While the beets are cooking, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium pot or saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bundle pickling spice in a double layer of cheesecloth (or coffee filter) and secure with string to form a bag. Add the spice bag to the pot, cover with a lid, and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Prepare Canning Jars: To sanitize your canning jars, place them upside down in the rack of your canner in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or run them through a cycle in your dishwasher. Leave them in the dishwasher until ready to use.
Fill Jars: Using a funnel, add the beets to the hot jars, leaving ¾ inch headspace. Remove the spice bag from the brine and discard it. Pour the hot brine over the beets, leaving ½ inch of headspace from the rim. Remove air bubbles with a spatula. Wipe jar rims and apply lids and bands (fingertip tight).
Process Jars: Place jars in the rack of your water bath canner, ensuring they are fully submerged with at least one inch of water above. If needed, add additional boiling water from a kettle. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a full rolling boil. Cover with a lid and process pint jars for 30 minutes and quarts for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and lift the canner rack carefully.
Cool and Store: Remove the jars with tongs and place them on a towel-lined counter. Let the jars cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Check the seals, label them, and store them in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Wait two weeks before eating for the best flavor.

Video

Notes

This recipe makes 6 x 500 mL jars (pints).

For best results, use fresh, firm beets of similar size.
If using quart jars, increase processing time to 35 minutes.
Refrigerate any jars that don't seal properly and use them within 1 month.
Properly sealed jars can be stored for up to 1 year.

Nutrition