Spiced Beets

Yield: 4 to 5 pints

Ingredients

• 3 pounds small beets
• 1 pound small white onions
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken

Instructions

1. Wash beets and cut off roots, leaving 2 to 3 inches of stem attached. Cook in boiling water 10 to 15 minutes until barely tender; plunge into cold water, slip off skins and remove stems.
2. Peel and slice onions.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a large pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add beets and onions; simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until beets are tender.
5. Pack beets and onions into clean, hot jars; cover with hot spiced brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace; seal.
6. Process in boiling water bath 20 minutes.