Wash the beets free from dirt, and be very careful not to prick the outside skin, or they would lose their beautiful colour.
Put them into boiling water, let them simmer gently, and when about three quarters done, which will be about 1½hours, take them out and let them cool.
Boil the vinegar with pepper and allspice, in the above proportion for 10 minutes, and when cold, pour it into slices about 1cm/½in thick. Cover with bladder to exclude the air, and in a week they will be fit for use.