7 small or 5 large sanitized jars with lids and rings
Roasting pan or pot large enough to hold all the jars
Plastic gloves (the beet juice will stain your hands)
Directions:
Scrub beets with a potato brush to rid them of any dirt and then cut off the leafy part and the root. (Do not peel the beets!)
Place beets in a large pot with enough water to cover them. The water should be at least an inch above the beets.
Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat but keep the water to a low boil. Cook them until a knife can pierce the beets easily.
Do not drain the water from the pot. (This “beet juice” will go in the bottles with the beets.)
Remove the beets to large bowl or a colander with a slotted spoon to let them cool slightly.
When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and slice them. If they are cooked properly, you should be able to slide most of the skin off. Use a small paring knife on the bits that don’t come off easily.
Add the slices to the sterilized jars. (Leave 3/4 of an inch of free space on top.)
Bring 2 cups of the beet liquid, the sugar and the vinegar back to a full steam. Do not let it boil. (If there are small bits floating in the water, skim these off first.)
Pour the beet juice mixture evenly over the prepared beets in the jars until they are just covered.
Place the uncovered jars in roasting pan (or lg pot) filled with hot water. Leave in there long enough to reheat the beets.
When hot enough, place the covers loosely on the jars and remove from the stove.
Tighten the covers and let the jars sit until the inside caps pop. This shows that they are sealed.
The sealed jars of beets can now be stored for long periods.
