Canning Mom's Pickled Beets

Pickled beets represent nearly 24 years worth of Sunday dinners to me. With a pot roast and vegetables on the table, or a shepherd's pie and hot rolls, pickled beets made a weekly appearance on that special day when the entire family gathered together. I'd drive home from college nearly every Sunday, and even as my older brother and sister-in-law had their own kids they still came over most Sundays. I miss that tradition and am glad it still happens even though I can't make it home in a quick drive. These beets are represent all that is holy in canned food at mom's house, and were likely the first thing I ever helped with. What kid doesn't want to peel beets and pretend to have bloody hands?

Mom would chop the larger beets into smaller pieces and save the small beets all to be packed into a few special jars to be opened when company visits. I love the traditions of food and family. Below is the recipe my mom shared with me on that handwritten card in her scrolling cursive, a recipe that was also passed from her mom.

Mom's Pickled Beets

wash beets
cook til tender (about 1.5 hour)

2 c sugar
2 c water
2 c vinegar
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 T cinnamon

Boil above ingredients 10 min.

Water bath 20 min.

{half bushel does 20 pints}


We dug up these gorgeous beets from the garden in mom's backyard and put up 24 pints.

Someone once saw me cutting fruit in the palm of my hand while preparing for a party and asked if I grew up preserving food with my mom. See the proof above-- mom's hands.