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Grandma's Healthy Homemade Pickled Beets Recipe

Grandma's Healthy Homemade Pickled Beets

Tender beets are covered with a sweet-tart brine scented with cinnamon and cloves, then rested until every slice is richly flavored. The recipe makes about 4 pint jars, or approximately 6 cups of pickled beets.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beets
  • 6 medium, about 2 1/2–3 pounds total Medium fresh beets
Pickling Brine
  • 1 cup Distilled white vinegar, 5% acidity
  • 1 cup Reserved beet-cooking water
  • 1/2 cup, or 1/4 cup for less sweetness Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Pickling salt or kosher salt
  • 1 stick Cinnamon stick
  • 6–8 whole Whole cloves
Optional Spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon Whole allspice or black peppercorns

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Scrub the beets well, leaving the skins on and keeping about 1 inch of the stems attached. Simmer or steam them until a knife slips into the centers, usually 30–45 minutes depending on their size.
  2. Drain the cooked beets and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Cool the beets briefly, slip off the skins, and cut them into slices or wedges.
  3. Add the vinegar, reserved beet water, sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, cloves, and optional allspice or peppercorns to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve, then simmer for about 5 minutes.
  4. Pack the beets into clean jars or a covered nonreactive container. Pour the hot brine over them, making sure the beets are fully submerged; leave about 1/2 inch of headspace if preparing them for canning.
  5. Cool the jars, cover them, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. The flavor is best after 2–3 days, and refrigerator pickles should be used within about 3–4 weeks.

Notes

Use vinegar labeled 5% acidity. For shelf-stable storage, follow a tested water-bath canning recipe exactly; pints are commonly processed for 30 minutes, with time adjusted for altitude and the tested directions. Do not reduce the vinegar or increase the water for canning.