How to Can Pickled Beets in a Water Bath

If you are like me, you spend a lot of time at home canning. I love canning not only because it helps me preserve the garden harvest I worked so very hard to get, but it also helps me stretch my grocery budget just that little bit farther.

And, not for nothing, having a supply of fresh, safe, and stable food that’s ready to eat in times of trouble is always a good thing.

One of my favorite canned foods is beets, but I don’t can them as much as other things. That’s because I’d rather do it in a water bath can instead of going through all the trouble of hauling out the pressure canner.

Normally, beets need to be canned in a pressure canner, but it is entirely possible to can them via pickling in a water bath canner. They actually turn out tender and super tasty this way! Keep reading, and I’ll walk you through it step by step…

How Can They Be Safely Canned in a Water Bath?

For those who know a thing or two about canning, you might be raising an eyebrow at the premise of this article. Beets are a low-acid food, and like all low-acid foods, they need to be canned using a pressure canner for safety purposes.

But that’s only applicable if we are canning the beets plain without anything else added to them.

For our purposes, we will be pickling the beets in a sweet and savory brine that will enhance their natural flavors and also add the acidity needed to complete the canning process quickly and safely using a water bath process alone.

And don’t worry: the method I’m going to share with you is not something I cooked up by myself in the laboratory. These processes are tried, tested, and trusted by the best authority in the land, the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Now, with that major question answered, let’s get down to business.

What You’ll Need

Outside of the expected canning gear, you’ll only need a selection of basic kitchen tools to do the job. Gather all of the following, and then we’re ready to get started.

Beets: getting delicious canned beets starts with beets, of course! For this recipe, beets that are 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter are ideal and easy to process, but you can use any size you like if you are willing to slice them down to size. You’ll need about seven pounds for a full canner load.

Water: you’ll need plenty of water both for operating the canner and also for making the needed brine. I recommend you use filtered water for the brine, and you’ll need about two cups. Tap water is fine for filling the canning pot.

Canning or Pickling Salt: either variety you have on hand will work for this recipe. You’ll need 1 1/2 tablespoons for the brine.

Vinegar: the foundation of a good brine is vinegar. Use any vinegar of your choice here (such as white) as long as it is 5%. You’ll need four cups to make a batch of brine. This is what enables us to use a water bath to can beets.

Sugar: just white, granulated sugar. Nothing special. You’ll need 2 cups.

Cinnamon Sticks: cinnamon adds a depth of flavor and some much-needed warmth to the finished beets. You’ll need just two whole sticks.

Mustard Seeds: mustard seeds cut the sweetness of the brine and add an interesting flavor that works wonderfully in this recipe. You’ll need 1 teaspoon.

Cloves: 12 cloves, whole, will complete the spice mixture for our brine.

Cheesecloth Bag: we aren’t going to leave these spices bobbing in the brine when we can the beets. To infuse the brine with flavor while containing the unwanted solids, we’ll use a cheesecloth bag to steep the brine with the spices.

If you don’t have a bag for the purpose, use a double layer of cheesecloth to make a little sack and then tie it off tightly with butcher twine.

Canning Rack: this is the thing that will hold your jars in place during the canning process, keeping them off the bottom of the pot and preventing them from banging into each other.

There are many different styles out there for water bath canning, and all of them tend to work well enough. You should get one with handles that will allow you to easily lift and lower the rack as needed.

Jar Lifter: these specialized tongs are useful for lifting and placing individual jars without getting burned. You might not need these if you’ve got a good canning rack with handles, but believe me, they always come in handy.

Large Stockpot: a stockpot large enough to hold your canning rack, and tall enough to completely cover all of your jars with water.

Large Saucepan: we’ll need a large saucepan to cook our beets and then prepare the brine prior to canning.

Slotted Spoon: this will help you stir and scoop your beets.

Kitchen Knife or Paring Knife: prior to canning, your beets will need to have the tops, stems, and roots cut off and also be peeled. A good knife will help you do that.

Jars: you can use any kind of canning jar you want for this recipe as long as they are pint or quart-sized. Old jars work fine as long as they’re still in good shape; never, ever use a jar that has cracks, chips, or other defects.

Lids: the appropriate lids for your jars. Note that you must never reuse a jar lid unless it is specifically designed to be reusable. They are highly prone to failure when used more than once!

Bands: the appropriate bands to hold your lids in place. Unlike the lids, you can reuse bands as long as they are in good shape, meaning not cracked, warped, or rusted.

Canning Funnel: you might have steady hands, but you should still use a canning funnel. This will help you fill your jars with the beets and the brine without making a mess or getting burnt.

Cutting Board: use any kind of cutting board you want to prep your beets, and have another one handy or clean this one and dry it so you’ll have a heat-resistant place to put your hot jars. Use wood or plastic, not stone. I’ll tell you why later.

Note that beets are notorious for staining surfaces, especially wood, so you might not want to use the one that’s near and dear to you!

Colander: useful for giving your beets a good wash.

Paper Towels or Clean Kitchen Rags: little messes always happen during canning. Have some paper towels or clean kitchen rags nearby to deal with them. You’ll also need these to wipe off your jar rims immediately prior to putting the lids on them.

Timer: accurate timing is essential for safe canning. Use any sort of timer you want here as long as it’s accurate; an app on your phone, clock on your stovetop, kitchen timer, etc.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The following will walk you through the process of water bath canning beets.

Before you dive in, take a moment to read over all of them: some operations are time-sensitive, and you need to move quickly from one to the other without delay. It will help if you know what to expect.

Step 1: Thoroughly clean all equipment. The first step is to clean everything you’ll be using for this process: all of your utensils, cookware, the canning rack, jars, and more.

Everything that could possibly come into contact with the beets at any point during the process should be given a wash in hot soapy water. If you have one, now is a great time to send it all through the dishwasher right before you get started. Set it on the hottest cycle possible.

Step 2: Remove tops and wash beets. Dump all of the beets out on the cutting board and trim off the tops. You can prepare these separately as greens if you want to. Then place them in the colander and thoroughly wash them under the faucet or with a sprayer.

Step 3: Sort beets by size. If canning in batches, take the time to sort them. This will make it easier to cut them into uniform pieces in just a moment.

Step 4: Cook beets. Dump all of the beets into your saucepan, cover them with water, then bring to a boil. They’ll need to boil for about 25 minutes until they are fork-tender, but not soft and mushy. Start checking them at around 18 minutes.

Step 5: Drain and discard liquid, let beets cool, then prep. Once they are properly cooked, drain off and discard the liquid. Do not use it during the canning process!

Let the beets cool down, then transfer them back onto the cutting board, making sure to wash the board or use a new one for the purpose.

Cut off the roots and stems with your knife, and slip the skins off. Discard all of it. If the skins won’t slip off, you might need to peel or scrape them.

Once peeled, cut the beets into slices no more than a ¼ inch thick. If you are working with larger beets, quarter them then cut into ¼-inch slices so they will fit easily into the jars. You can also cut the slices into quarters, if you want.

Step 6: Mix spices in cheesecloth bag. Take the cinnamon, mustard seed, and cloves and put them in your cheesecloth bag, tying it off or closing it securely so that nothing will come out. Set aside.

Step 7: Fill large pot with water, preheat jars. Fill the large pot with water and load the canning rack with the jars.

Place them in the pot and adjust the water level so the jars are fully covered, at least 2 inches over the tops. Turn up the heat and bring the water to a gentle boil. While the water is heating, move on.

Step 8: Combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in saucepan. Now mix two cups of sugar, one and a half tablespoons of your salt, four cups of vinegar, and 2 cups of water in your clean saucepan. Stir everything together.

Step 9: Add spices to pan and bring mixture to boil. Next, add the cheesecloth bag with the spices to the saucepan.

Dunk it up and down a few times to soak the spices, stir the brine thoroughly, and then turn up the heat, bringing the mixture to a boil. Leave the bag in the brine for now.

Step 10: Add beets to pan, simmer for 5 minutes. As soon as the brine comes to a boil, add the cooked, peeled beets. Reduce heat and simmer the beets for around 5 minutes. After that, remove the bag containing the spices.

Step 11: Remove jars, set aside. Working quickly but carefully, remove the jars from the pot. If you have a rack with handles and enough clearance on your stovetop, you’ll be able to lift them out all at once. Otherwise, use your jar lifter.

Carefully set the hot jars aside on a clean cutting board, mouth facing up. Move through the next steps as quickly as you can while being safe.

Step 12: Fill jars with beets. Using the funnel and slotted spoon, start adding the beets to each of the jars, leaving a half-inch of headspace. Continue on as quickly as you can.

Step 13: Cover beets with brine. Now, making sure to use your funnel and being cautious, pour the hot brine into each of the jars, covering the beets completely but leaving a half-inch of headspace in each one.

Step 14: Wipe off jar rims and cap with lid. Take a dry, clean cloth or paper towel and wipe off the rim of each jar.

Next, place a lid on each one and then secure it with a band, screwing it down hand-tight. Do not overtighten the band! Snug is all that’s required:

Step 15: Load jars into pot. Replace the jars on the canning rack if you removed it, and then put it back in the pot. Otherwise, use your jar lifters to put them in the pot and securely on the rack one by one.

Take great care when moving your filled jars! Keep them perfectly upright and do not tilt the jars or let the contents slosh into the lid as this can result in seal failure.

Step 16: Bring water in large pot to boil. Once the jars are back in the pot, make sure they’re fully immersed water, then turn the heat back up to bring it to a rolling boil.

Step 17: Start timer and process jars. Once the water in the pot is at a boil, start your timer for processing.

Whether you’re using pint or quart jars, you’ll process for 30 minutes if you are at sea level or up to a thousand feet in elevation, 35 minutes if you’re between 1,001 and 3,000 ft, 40 minutes if you’re between 3,001 and 6,000 ft, and 45 minutes if you are above 6,000 ft.

Step 18: Cut heat and rest jars when processing is complete. If the water has remained at a boil the entire time, cut the heat once your timer goes off. Don’t remove the jars; let them rest inside the pot for 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 19: Remove jars cautiously, allow to cool totally. Being very careful to keep the jars upright and avoid sloshing the contents, lift out the rack or remove the jars one by one.

Set them aside on a clean wood or plastic cutting board, or a thick towel. Make sure to protect them from drafts from nearby doors or windows as temperature shock can cause them to crack or burst. Leave the jars to cool for at least 12 hours, but it might take as long as a whole day.

Step 20 (after 12-16 hours): Check lids for seal. Once the jars have completely cooled down to room temperature, check the lids to ensure that you’ve got a good seal. Press on the lid with a fingertip; it shouldn’t flex or move in any way.

After that, carefully remove the band and then gently lift the jar upward holding just the edge of the lid; it should not pop, hiss, bubble, or move. Jars that pass both tests are good to go. Set aside ones that fail, and I’ll tell you what to do with them later.

Step 21: Wipe down and store. Take a moistened cloth or paper towel and wipe off the outside of the jars carefully to remove any residue. Then store the jars in a cool, dark place that is protected from extreme temperatures.

Step 22: Finished! You are all done! Your beets are safe and ready to eat, but they will taste better after a couple of weeks once the flavors have time to develop.

A Jar Seal Failed. Now What?

If any of the jars fail either part of the seal test, there are only a couple of things you can do…

The first is to eat the beets. They won’t be fully good because it takes time for their flavors to develop as mentioned, but they are safe and edible.

If you don’t want to eat them right away, stash them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Under no circumstances attempt to store them long-term because they won’t make it!

Your other option is to pour the contents of the jar into a different jar and, using a brand-new lid, reprocess them according to the instructions above. This will soften them even more, but assuming they pass the subsequent test, they are safe and ready for storage.

Of course, if you don’t want to mess with them or eat them, you can throw them out.

Canned Beet Shelf Life

Your beets will last for at least a year in storage if everything goes well and if you store them in ideal conditions: keep them between 50° and 60°F (10°C – 15°C), protected from sunlight, and safe from fluctuating temperatures, and they should last you until next year.

Just keep in mind that, once you open a jar, its days are numbered in the fridge…