I don't make beets very often. I usually just boil/ simmer until done, slip the skins, slice and dot with a little butter and S&P.
When I have grown them in the garden, we made pickles too. They were un-necessarily very expensive at the farmer's market last summer. The last time I made pickles, I used a cheater method and started out with jarred whole beets, sliced them and made pickles.
I would like to use beet stems, that part between the beet top and where the leaf begins and pickle those as a salad ingredient or plate condiment. I don't know if they would remain crisp.