by Steve Christensen

Created on: August 20, 2010

If you were to compile a list of your all-time favorite vegetables, chances are that beets would not be in the top ten.

Beets tend to put people off. It might be their tendency to bleed across a plate and intermingle with the rest of one’s meal; perhaps it’s their deeply earthy flavor or their unusual texture; or maybe it’s those childhood memories of being forced to sit – arms folded and jaw tightly set – before an unfinished plate of violaceous discs…any number of excuses for not eating beets will suffice.

Whatever the reason, if you’re convinced that beets will never grace your table again, there’s nothing like growing and canning a batch of these crimson orbs at home to change your mind. Beets are rich in nutrients: Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, and folate are abundant in both the root and leaves. Beets are also a good source of magnesium, iron, copper, calcium, manganese, iodine, phosphorus, and fiber.

And, whenever you thin your beet crop as it grows to maturity, you’ll enjoy the additional treat of their greens, which are excellent when steamed or sautéed and lightly buttered and salted.

The only question – once you’ve decided to give beets another well-deserved chance – is: What’s the best way to preserve a bucketful of beets so they can be relished during the cold, dreary months of winter? It’s a matter of taste, really, but there is one caveat: Since beets are a low-acid vegetable – like corn, beans, or carrots – they must be either canned under pressure or pickled in brine to prevent the formation of bacterial spores that could cause botulism.

Canned Beets, Basic Pressure Cooker Method

-Beginning with about one gallon of beets, remove the tops except for 1 – 2 inches of stem. Leave roots on.

-Wash and sort to uniform size to permit even cooking.

-Place beets in a colander type boiler, cover with boiling water and return to a gentle boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

-Lift colander from boiler and dip in cold water only long enough to loosen beet skins; remove skins, roots, and remainder of stems.

-Leave baby beets (under 1 1/4 in diameter) whole. Cube or slice larger beets.

-Pack hot beets into pint or quart jars to within 1 of jar rim. Add salt (1/2 teaspoon for pints; 1 tsp. for quarts).

-Cover beets with fresh boiling water; add vinegar to help retain color (1 tablespoon for pints; 2 tablespoons for quarts). Leave 1/2 head space.

-Adjust jar lids.

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