Ingredients

• 4-5 pounds small beets
• 2 tablespoons pickling salt
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 cups white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mixed pickling spice tied in cheesecloth bag
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Wash the beets and remove most of the tops, leaving about 1/2 inch of beet top remaining. In a large boiling pot of water, cook the beets until barely tender. Remove from the stove.
2. Submerge the beets in a large bowl of ice water, I find this helps the skins come off with more ease.
3. Cut off the tops and the roots completely, then remove the skin. Peel and slice beets into preferred size, I like larger chunks and not slices.
4. Combine the vinegar, sugar, water, salt and pickling spice in a nonreactive pot and bring mixture to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Add the beets to the pickling liquid and return to a boil. Remove the spice bag.Carefully ladle the beets and pickling liquid into hot sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
6. Remove any air bubbles with a non-metal utensil. Add additional pickling liquid, if needed, to keep the proper headspace.
7. Wipe the jar rims thoroughly with a clean damp cloth, failure to do this can result in the jars not sealing properly!
8. Seal the jars and process for 35 minutes in a boiling water bath.