Frequently Asked Questions

• Fading color,: "Last night I canned my beets, but when I pulled them out of the pressure cooker, it looked like they were white and the liquid was red. What would of caused this. I am new to canning this year. So any tips would be good! Thank you"
  

  Beets might look pale red, washed out, yellow or pink after canning.  The taste, safety and quality of the beets isl not affected.

  This can be due to the variety of the beets. Detroit Dark Red and Ruby Queen are two dark pigmented varieties that should retain color.

  To help retain the color, leave an inch of the stem and roots on the beets when they are cooked. After cooking, slip skins off and remove top and stem.

  Acidity also  helps to retain the red color. Adding a teaspoon of vinegar, lemon juice or citric acid to each jar usually helps. 

  Presto (maker of pressure canners) also says that the loss of color from beets during canning may also be due to beets that are too old. If possible, can young, tender, very dark red beets which are freshly gathered.

   Precooking beets with 2 inches of the stem and all of the root on also helps to retain the juices. So, leave two inches of stem and tap root attached to the beets before boiling to remove the skins. Then trim the stem and root and slice, dice or leave whole for canning.

• Is it safe to can beets in a traditional water bath? If so how long do you do process them?
  

  The answer, quite simply is no; you may not can beets in a boiling water bath (you MAY can "pickled beets" in a waterbath, but that is a different recipe!) Quoting from the Ohio State University Extension's Fact Sheet:

  "Pressure canning is the only safe method for home canning vegetables. Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning in low-acid foods, such as vegetables. The bacterial spores are destroyed only when the vegetables are processed in a pressure canner at 240 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for the correct amount of time.

  Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium commonly found in vegetables and meats. It is harmless until it finds itself in a moist, low-acid, oxygen-free environment or a partial vacuum. Under these conditions, the bacterium can grow and produce toxins dangerous to people and animals.

  Do not process (low acid) vegetables using the boiling water bath because the botulinum bacteria can survive that method.