No Sugar Added Pickled Beets

I have a tendency to buy things on sale! Well, these beets were on sale.

What do you do with 20lbs of beets???

Make Pickled Beets of course! 🙂 I had NO IDEA how much sugar was in Pickled Beets, so I found a recipe that took Splenda instead of sugar. I realize some people are against Splenda, but I had my Father-in-Law in mind who has diabetes and loves Splenda.

7 lbs of 2- to 2-½-inch diameter beets

4 to 6 onions (2- to 2-½-inch diameter), if desired

6 cups vinegar

1-½ teaspoons canning or pickling salt

2 cups Splenda®

3 cups water

2 cinnamon sticks

12 whole cloves

Yield: About 8 pints

Make sure to prep your bottles before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read about the Principles of Home Canning.

Directions: 

Wash and rinse pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer’s directions.

Trim off beet tops, leaving 1 inch of stem and roots to prevent bleeding of color. Wash thoroughly. Cover with boiling water and cook until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes). Caution: Drain and discard liquid. 

Cool beets. Trim off roots and stems and slip off skins. Slice into ¼-inch slices. Peel, wash and thinly slice onions. 

Combine vinegar, salt, Splenda®, and fresh water in large Dutch oven. Tie cinnamon sticks and cloves in cheesecloth bag and add to vinegar mixture. Bring to a boil. Add beets and onions. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove spice bag. 

With a slotted spoon, fill hot beets and onion slices into clean, hot pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Cover with boiling hot vinegar solution, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.

Process in a boiling water canner. Let cool, undisturbed, 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.