Alan’s Pickled Beets

Ingredients:

fresh small whole beets (min 1 dozen small beets)*
2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups water from boiling beets
2 cups granulated sugar
4 – 6 garlic cloves, sliced in half

* Small beets should be pickled whole with larger beets sliced in 1/4-inch slices.

Directions:

Wash, rinse and drain the beets. Cut off leaves and stems.  Place beets in large heavy pan and cover with water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until fork tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. 

After beets cool, peel the skin off.  (Wear gloves to keep the beet juice from staining your hands.)  Place the beets in the pickling jar.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add apple cider vinegar, beet water, sugar, and garlic cloves to a boil, stirring until sugar melts. Reduce heat and let the pickling brine simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour pickling brine over the beets and gently stir. Put lid on the jar and place in the refrigerator. Let stand and cool for 72 hours.

Note: should have enough pickling liquid for up to 24 small beets in a half gallon jar.