See the NCHFP recipe: http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_06/pickled_beets.html

2:1 is sufficient for including onion.

Dave

This is obviously a late comment but may help for future endeavors. I am a vinegar freak so often use a tad more than is called for. I also love onions and canned some with beets a few years ago. They at first were just what I was looking for but as they sat, the onions got a little rank. Not spoiled, just "loud" tasting with the beets. Could be the variety of onion, I guess, they were also out of my garden. I'm still eating them, so not ruined but wanted you to be aware.

I have been including onions in my pickled beets as long as I've been canning--about 45 years. I love them.

I've been making the Spicy Pickled Beets recipe from the old Ball Blue Book (1989). This recipe calls for 4 lbs beets, 3 cups sliced onions, 2 1/2 c cider vinegar, 1 1/2 c water, 1 tsp salt, 2 c sugar, and various spices. Process pints 30 minutes in BWB.

I understand that the book has been updated for safety reasons.

Last year, I included some turnips in the recipe. Yummy!

Like coffeehaus, I've been making those Spicy Pickled Beets for years. The onions are my favorite part. I did also win a blue ribbon at the County Fair a couple of years for those.

Annie

can you share the full recipe for the spicy pickled beets?

Do you not have a copy of the Ball Blue Book? If you are going to be canning anything it really is a must have. It is page 136 of the current edition and quite a lengthy recipe to have to type out completely. Let me see if I can find it already written out somewhere.

Dave

here you go: http://www.recipecircus.com/recipes/Katie/PRESERVING/Spicy_pickled_Beets.html

of course I have the Ball Blue book as well as Joy of Pickling and a handful of other books!! But coffeehaus mentioned that the newer version had been updated yet she was still using the original recipe, I was referring to getting the original recipe, thats all. Thanks.

Kerry, the recipe that Dave linked to is the same as the one in my book. Sorry, I was mistaken about the updates. I did change it up a bit by adding a dried chili pepper to each jar, and a couple of thin slices of peeled fresh ginger tied up in cheesecloth with the cinnamon sticks. Also, I used 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. As always, the caveat is to follow the recipe exactly for safest results, so I cannot vouch for my version.