Canning Harvard Beets?

Grandma J
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September 19, 20100 found this helpful

Beets must be canned with a pressure cooker. Botulism is the name of the game if you don't. Any state extension service can be Googled up for information and simple recipes. I use the Ball blue book, the ultimate wisdom book for canning/freezing anything.

You do not need a pressure canner/cooker if you make pickles. The Beets do not have the proper PH/ACID to make it safe for open kettle. I run across people who say their grandmothers did this. Well, in our day and age of SUE SUE SUE, do you really want to risk killing someone with a bad batch of beets for the sake of your memories and pride?

www.freshpreserving.com/ is the BALL recipie website.
Just got a 5+ gallon bucket here yesterday and I am making pickles rather than borrow my sister's pressure canner. Now recipes for those I got. Friend's grandmother's recipe. My dad who is 82 said the best recipes are the handed down ones (but processed safely.) I will get about 3 doz jars of pickles for him.

Safe canning!

LMay

September 30, 20101 found this helpful

Beets can be water bathed if they are pickled. I do the spicy pickled beets in the Ball Canning book. Not sure what Harvard beets are but the spicy pickled beets are excellent when chilled.