Living Traditions Homestead offers a detailed and practical approach to pressure canning beets in their video Preserving the Harvest: Pressure Canning Beets!. This homesteading family emphasizes the importance of canning as a method to store nutrient-rich vegetables like beets for long-term use, aligning with their goal of living sustainably and reducing waste.
The Process
The video guides viewers through the canning journey, starting with the preparation of fresh beets. They explain how to wash, peel, and cut the beets into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking. The beets are then packed into sterilized jars, leaving adequate headspace, before being covered with boiling water. This step is crucial for preventing spoilage and ensuring a safe seal.
Once the jars are prepped, they are loaded into a pressure canner. The Living Traditions Homestead team stresses the importance of following USDA guidelines for pressure and processing time to safely preserve low-acid foods like beets. After processing, the jars are cooled, checked for proper sealing, and stored for future use.
Why Pressure Canning?
Pressure canning is essential for low-acid vegetables because it reaches the high temperatures needed to eliminate harmful bacteria, such as Clostridium botulinum. This method preserves not only the food’s safety but also its nutritional value and flavor, making it a cornerstone of sustainable living​
Why Beets?
Beets are packed with essential nutrients like folate, fiber, and antioxidants. Canning them ensures these benefits are available year-round, even when fresh produce isn’t in season. Living Traditions Homestead emphasizes that preserving your harvest is an investment in self-reliance and food security.
Living Traditions Homestead’s video is a fantastic resource for anyone looking to get started with pressure canning or expand their food preservation skills. It’s an inspiring glimpse into the homesteading lifestyle and the rewards of preserving your own food supply.
