PICKLED BEETS

Ingredients

• 4 - 5 lb small beets (40 - 48)
• 3 cups vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp pickling salt
• 2 tbsp mixed pickling spice, tied in cheesecloth bag

Directions

1. Cook beets until barely tender. Run under cold water until cool enough to handle.
2. Peel and slice beets into 1/4 inch thick slices.
3. To prepare pickling liquid, combine vinegar, sugar, water, salt and pickling spice in a nonreactive Dutch oven.
4. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add beets to liquid; return to a boil.
5. Remove spice bag. Ladle beets and pickling liquid into hot sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
6. Remove air bubbles with a narrow rubber spatula or plastic knife. Add additional pickling liquid, if required, to maintain headspace.
7. Wipe jar rims thoroughly with a clean damp cloth. Seal and process for 35 minutes in a boiling water bath.
8. For altitudes higher than 3000 ft (914 m), add 5 minutes to processing time.