Pickled Beets

Ingredients

• ●4 pounds beets (about 12 medium), scrubbed clean
• ●2 cups white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• ●1 cup water
• ●¾ cup granulated sugar
• ●1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ●1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• ●1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
• ●4 whole cloves
• ●2 bay leaves
• ●1 cinnamon stick
• ●1 small onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Method

1. Trim the beet greens, leaving about 1 inch of stem (this prevents them from bleeding too much while cooking). Don't peel them yet.
2. Place the beets in a large pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife — 30 to 45 minutes depending on size.
3. Drain and let cool until you can handle them. The skins should slip off easily when rubbed with a paper towel or your thumb. Trim the stems and roots. Slice into ¼-inch rounds or wedges.
4. While the beets cook, make the brine: Combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Pack the beet slices into clean, hot jars, tucking in onion slices if using. Distribute the spices among the jars.
6. Pour the hot brine over the beets, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.
7. Seal the jars. For refrigerator pickles, let cool and refrigerate. For canning, process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes.
8. *Storage:** Refrigerator pickles keep for 2 months. Canned beets keep for a year.
9. *Seasonal note:** Chioggia beets (the candy-striped ones) look beautiful but lose their stripes when boiled. If you want to show off the stripes, roast them instead — wrap individually in foil and bake at 191°C (375°F) for 45 to 60 minutes. Golden beets make stunning pickles too, and they won't stain your hands.