Reena's Pickled Beets

These are my Mom's Beets...She taught me to make them many years ago. She learned to make them as a young bride, and, in turn, passed the recipe and how-to's down to me. Once you get the beets boiled, and skinned, the rest is a piece of cake! They're awesome!! *note: Prep time is a guess...Depends on how fast you work!)

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Yields: 7 pints

Ingredients

• 6 -7  lbs beets, with tops (2 to 2 and a 1/2 inch)
•  water
• 4  cups cider vinegar (5% acidity)
• 2  cups sugar
• 2  cups water
• 1⁄4 cup pickling salt
• 2  cinnamon sticks (2 inch)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 -2  medium onion, sliced

Directions

1. Wash beets.
2. Trim tops to about 3 inches and leave on root ends.
3. Place cleaned beets in an 8 to 10 quart saucepan, and cover with water.
4. Cover, and cook beets over medium-high heat til skins slip off easily, about 20 minutes.
5. Drain and discard water.
6. Trim off tops and roots, slip skins off.
7. Slice beets about 1/4 inch thick.
8. In a 4 to 6 quart saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, 2 cups water, pickling salt, and spices.
9. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
10. (Keep brine mixture hot while you fill jars with beets and onions).
11. Fill each jar with a layer of beets, first, then, a layer of onion slices.
12. As you add layers, push down gently with a wood spoon.
13. Pack jars just to bottom of the neck of the jar.
14. I always set the packed jar in a pan of hot water, (fill hot water to about 1/2 way up the jar, and put a table knife down inside the jar between the beets and the inside surface of the jar.-- This helps to keep the jar from breaking when adding the hot brine).
15. Slowly, pour brine in jar until beets are covered over about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
16. Move table knife gently in an up and down motion, all around the jar to remove any air bubbles.
17. Clean the rim of the jar and threads with a wet cloth, set hot, sterilized seal cap on top, place ring on, and cinch down firmly-- not too tight, but, firm.
18. Place filled jars in Boiling Water Canner, hot, gently boiling water to cover jars, place lid on canner, and process for about 30 minutes.