Garden Planning for this years canning - beet varieties?
 

I am planning the vegetable garden and am thinking of putting in some beets for pickling. I found a very visually interesting variety called Chioggia or Bull's Eye and was wondering if anyone here had actually tasted them or grown them. I thought they would make beautiful pickled beets but don't want to waste my time if they don't taste good. Any feedback will be most appreciated. Also recipes gratefully accepted. Here is what they look like:

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I have always planted Detroit dark red variety , they are dark and after cooked they still have a good color after cooked

Detroit for me, too.

We also plant Detroit Dark Red. They hold their color better than a lot of others. My recipe: Cut the tops off leaving about 2 inches. This prevents bleeding. Cook until tender. Remove skins. Bring equal parts of vinegar and sugar to a boil. Add a hand full of whole cloves, or if you prefer, pickling spice. Add cooked beets and bring to a boil again. Place in pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Add liquid, leaving head space. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint. Cover with 2-piece lids. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool over night. Remove rings and store jars in dark area.This is how my mom did them,so I do it this way too. Alice

We planted Detroit beets last year. The color is great, but more importantly, to me, the taste is wonderful. We pickled some and everyone loved them. I'm thinking of making a gallon of beet wine this year to try it out.
Dolly in MI

Beet wine????? Please share the recipe as I always grow more beets than the 2 of us can eat

Detroit Red for me too.

I also always plant the detroit red. I made chocolate beet muffins last year, sounds awful, but the taste was good and the color was divine!

I always use Detroit Reds and we love them pickled. Something that has come down in our family for many generations.

I have tryed them. They taste good. However when you cook or can them, the white rings turn a dark beet color from the beet juice. I used this one raw in salads.

I have always used Detroit red beets. Just remember not to trim the top or bottoms off or they will bleed to death, you have to wait until they are fully cooked to do this. I pickle the small ones whole.

Detroit dark reds for me too.

having tried both for canning, i'd suggest that you either plant Detroit Reds or Cylindra . the Cylindra have excellent beet flavor and you get more beet for your money when it comes to making beet relish or canned beets.
the italian beets which is what the other variety you mentioned are, doing excellent for fresh salads etc.

Well, you all have convinced me to go with the Detroit Reds. I may throw in a few of the Bull's Eye beets just to pretty up some salads for the summer. Sure would like to see the recipes for the chocolate beet muffins (sound like Red Velvet cake) and the beet wine. Thanks for all the feedback.

I used to plant the Cylindra beets as well. The flavor was so good and they pickled beautifully because they were so easy to slice. Any beets like the ones you speak of will not retain the white rings when pickled. But the color won't be as dark a red.

They are beautiful, wouldn't that be pretty fabric?!