Canning Beets | How to can beets

Canning beets at home is super easy. These will be the best tasting beets you’ve ever found in a can! Sweet, tender and perfect for a quick side.

Beets. They are one of those vegetables that folks either love or hate. There is no in between.

Up until a few years ago, we were in the hate camp. But having tried them again, we’ve moved over to the love the camp. Small beets are tender, juicy and sweet. Especially if you grow them yourself or buy them at a farm stands.

Important note: Beets are a low acid vegetable and must be pressure canned. You cannot use a water bath canner for this recipe!

Types of beets

Red beets– Red beets are the most popular beets. They can be found at most farmer’s markets and farm stands. Once cooked, they have a deep red color and an earthy flavor.

These are the strongest tasting beets. There are also bicolor beets like Chioggia which, when sliced, has concentric white and red rings.

Red beets may bleach out some of their color when canned but it does not affect the flavor. Only the presentation.

Golden beets– Golden beets are yellow or gold. They are a bit harder to find but you can access them occasionally. Golden beets have a more mild beet flavor.

White beets– Still harder yet to source are the white beets. They can only occasionally be found at farm stands. They have a very mild flavor and are very versatile. Their taste is brighter and not as earthy as red beets. If you’d like to can white beets, we suggest growing your own.

What you need

Note: This is the only recipe that you can use to make beets shelf stable. Pickled beets are not shelf stable. They must be stored in the refrigerator for long term storage.

• beets
• salt (optional)
• pressure canner
• canning tool set
• quart jars
• pint jars
• lids
• bands

Quality of beets to choose

Choose beets that are small. The perfect size to can whole are one to two inch diameter beets. These will be the most tender.

Beets over three inches tend to be fibrous and are better suited for beet puree and the like.

Any beets that are over 2 inch diameter should be canned cubed or sliced. Larger slices can be cut in half so that they fit in the jars.

Don’t discard the beet tops. They are edible and quite delicious. Use them anywhere you would use kale or spinach. They have lots of health benefits.

How many do you need?

For each pint of canned beets you need about 1½ pounds of beets. For each quart, you’ll need about 3 pounds.

A canner load of 9 pints requires 13½ pound of beets. A canner load of 7 quarts requires about 21 pounds.

How to can beets

Pro tip: Wear gloves. The beet juice will stain your hands.

Step Ten- Adjust lids. Screw on band fingertip tight. Add jars to canning pot with spacer rack insert added.

Step Eleven- Seal the pressure canner. Turn on the burner. Bring to a boil and allow the pot to vent for a full ten minutes.

Step Twelve- Then add the weighted or dial gauge pressure regulator. Bring the pressure up to specified pressure (psi) and maintain it there. See pressure recommendations in recipe notes below.

Step Thirteen- Process for the specified times as per the recipe instructions. Always set a timer. (see times in recipe below)

Step Fourteen- Keep an eye on your pressure and make sure that you do not drop below the specified pressure at any time during the canning process. If your pressures drops below the correct pressure, restart your timer.

Once time is up, remove the pot from the heat source. Let pressure naturally release from the pot. Carefully remove lid.

Allow jars to sit in the canning pot for about 5 minutes to cool down slowly. Then remove them from the canner with your jar lifter. Place them on a towel on your kitchen counter.

Let them fully cool. After 12-24 hours, check to make sure the jars are sealed. Press down in the center of the lid. If the lid flexes up or down, the jar hasn’t sealed and will need to be refrigerated and used first.

You can re-can them with a new lid, if you’d like.

New to canning? Start with our comprehensive article on “How to Can Everything“. It will walk you through all of the dos and don’ts related to canning.

How to store canned beets

Store canned beets in a cool, dark area of your home. A root cellar is great if you have one.

Beets are safe to eat for at least a year. They may last longer but it’s best to try to use them up within a year.

How to use canned beets

Use canned beets in salads, soups, stews and the like. The taste of these freshly canned beets will sparkle.

Pro- Tip: When canning, choose a reputable source for your recipe. The National Center for Home Food Preservation is one and the other is the USDA Complete Guide to Canning.

All of the recipes on this site are based on one or both of these trusted sources. We just do a more thorough job showing you how to do it, step by step.

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

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Originally published August 30, 2022.