Wash the beets well, leaving about 1 inch of stems attached. Place them in a large pot, cover with water, and simmer for 30–45 minutes, or until a fork slides into the centers easily.

Drain the cooked beets, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid if desired. Cool the beets enough to handle, then slip off the skins and remove the stems and roots.

Slice the peeled beets into rounds or wedges. Keep the pieces fairly even so they warm and absorb the brine at a similar rate.

Combine the vinegar, reserved beet liquid or water, sugar, and pickling salt in a nonreactive saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice if using, then bring the mixture to a boil and simmer briefly until the sugar dissolves.

Pack the hot beets into hot sterilized pint jars, leaving the headspace specified by your canning instructions, commonly 1/2 inch for pint jars. Cover the beets with the hot brine, remove air bubbles, wipe the rims, and apply the lids.

For shelf-stable storage, process the filled jars in a boiling-water canner using current tested instructions for your altitude and jar size; many tested pickled-beet recipes specify about 30 minutes for pints. Cool the jars undisturbed, check the seals, and store sealed jars in a cool, dark place.