Middle Eastern Pickled Turnips with Beet (Torshi Lift)

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Wash five pint canning jars in hot soapy water or the dishwasher and keep them hot, boiling them 10 minutes first if your processing time will be under 10 minutes, and simmer new lids per the manufacturer's instructions.
2. 2Peel 3 pounds turnips and cut into 1/2-inch sticks, peel 1 beet and cut into thin slices, and peel 6 cloves of garlic.
3. 3In a stainless steel pot, combine 4 cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity), 4 cups water, 1/4 cup canning salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar, and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.
4. 4Pack the raw turnip sticks tightly into the hot jars, tucking in a slice or two of beet and a clove of garlic per jar so the beet color can bleed into the turnips.
5. 5Pour the boiling brine over the turnips, keeping them submerged and leaving 1/2 inch of headspace in each jar.
6. 6Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula, top off with additional brine if needed to maintain 1/2 inch headspace, wipe the rims clean, center a simmered lid on each jar, and apply the band fingertip-tight.
7. 7Process in a boiling-water canner with jars covered by 1 to 2 inches of water for 15 minutes for pints, timed from a full rolling boil, adding 5 minutes at 1,001-3,000 feet, 10 minutes at 3,001-6,000 feet, or 15 minutes above 6,000 feet.
8. 8Remove the canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then lift the jars onto a towel-lined counter and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
9. 9Check that each lid is concave and firm (properly sealed), remove the bands, and label the jars with contents and date.
10. 10Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year; the turnips turn a beautiful pink within about a week; refrigerate after opening.
11. 11Do not reduce the proportion of vinegar to water, as the full-strength acid level is what keeps this preserve safe at room temperature.