Beets, Beets, Beets!

Well, the beets are coming along fine. We have two varieties, OP(open pollinated) reg. round beets and Egyptian flats. The rounds are big enough for canning and the flats are big enough for steaming to eat. We try to avoid sugar, even organic raw sugar and instead prefer natural foods, like honey as our sweetner. The first recipe uses honey and you can substitute in honey, just 1/2 the amount of what the recipe call for in sugar. Beet pickles 1 gallon small beets 1c. honey 1 long stick of cinnamon 1 Tbsp. whole allspice 1 qt. vinegar Cook beets with roots and about 2 " of the stem left on, in water to cover. Cook until tender, dip beets into cold water and slip off the skins and slice to desired thickness and size. Put beets in a large preserving kettle. Combine other ingredients, pour over beets and simmer 15 min. Pack hot into sterilized jars. Cover beets with boiling syrup and seal. Process 10 minutes( for pints) and 15 min. for qt. in a boiling water bath. Pickled beets 2c. sugar(1c. honey) 2c. water 2c. vinegar 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 Tbsp. whole Cinnamon 1tsp. whole cloves 1 tsp. whole allspice ( tie up spices in a cheese cloth bag or place in a large tea ball) Boil until tender and slip beet skins. Cut beets to desired size. Cover beets with pickling syrup and simmer for 15 min. Seal hot into sterilized jars. Water bath in boiling water for 10 minutes. If you use qt. then add 5 minutes longer to the time. I use this recipe for golden waxed beans and carrots too. Harvard Beets 5-6 small beets( sliced and cooked, skins slipped) 1/2c. sugar or 1/4 c. honey 1Tbsp. corn starch 1/2c. cider vinegar 1/4c. water pinch of sea salt Bring to a boil until thickened, pour over cooked beets, serve hot but are also good as a cold summer side dish. Enjoy!

Happy pickling everyone! We'll be bust tomorrow canning beets, and making concord grape jelly from juice we canned last Fall.