Home canning is a great way to cut down on kitchen waste while providing you and your family with month’s worth of the freshest tasting veggies. Canning beets is easy to do and will increase the lifetime of your crops and ensure the best flavor. With this helpful excerpt from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Complete Guide to Home Canning, you’ll learn the hot pack process for canning beats. Use this and our other canning resources to preserve your entire garden!
The following is an excerpt from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning covering how to can beets.
Beets — Whole, Cubed or Sliced
Quantity: An average of 21 pounds (without tops) is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13-1/2 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel (without tops) weighs 52 pounds and yields 15 to 20 quarts — an average of 3 pounds per quart.
Quality: Beets with a diameter of 1 to 2 inches are preferred for whole packs. Beets larger than 3 inches in diameter are often fibrous.
Procedure: Trim off beet tops, leaving an inch of stem and roots to reduce bleeding of color. Scrub well. Cover with boiling water. Boil until skins slip off easily; about 15 to 25 minutes depending on size. Cool, remove skins, and trim off stems and roots. Leave baby beets whole. Cut medium or large beets into 1/2-inch cubes or slices. Halve or quarter very large slices. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jar, if desired. Fill jars with hot beets and fresh hot water, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process following the recommendations in the Image Gallery.
Have a smartphone or tablet? Download the free MOTHER EARTH NEWS library app for access to our How to Can resource (also free!). Find it in the iTunes App Store and Google Play. It’s the power of canning know-how in the palm of your hands!