Pickled Beets (Recipe)

Ingredients

10 to 12 small beets, roots and tops removed (2 1/2 pounds before trimming)

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon whole allspice

2 3-inch sprigs fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 green onions, cut into 1/2-inch lengths (1/2 cup)

Steps

1.  Wash the beets under cold, running water.  In a large saucepan, cook the beets, covered, in boiling salted water for 40 to 50 minutes or until just tender.  Drain.

2.  When the beets are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off.  Discard the skins.  Cut the beets into quarters or wedges and set aside.

3.  Wash the saucepan in which you cook the beets.  In it, stir together the vinegar, water, sugar, allspice, the dried tarragon (if using) and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

4.  Carefully add the cooked beets to the simmering liquid.  Return to a boil, then reduce the heat.  Cover  ad simmer for 10 minutes.

5.  Transfer the beets and liquid to a large nonmetal bowl.  Add the onions and fresh tarragon (if using).  Cool. 

6.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 month.

Tips:

Fresh beets are most plentiful March through July, but are available year round.  Look for well-shaped, firm, small to medium beets with good color and smooth skins.  Very large beets may be tough, pithy and less sweet.  To store, trim the greens leaving one to two inches of stem.  Do not cut the long, thin root.  Refrigerate unwashed beets in an open plastic bag with holes in it, up to one week.  When ready to cook, wash well and cut off all but 1 inch of stem and roots.

After cooking, the beets skins will slip off easily.  To protect your hands from red beet coloring when slipping off the skins, wear plastic gloves or put your hands inside plastic bags.

Allspice is a pungent, aromatic berry that has a flavor similar to cloves with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.  It is commonly found in pickling spice mixtures.  Do not substitute ground allspice in this recipe as it will make the pickling liquid cloudy.  

For a fancier shaped pickled beet, use a ridge cutter when cutting the beets into wedges or quarters.

From : America's Best-Loved Community Recipes