Knife-Fork-Spoon

I Love Beets

I do. I really do. I can’t think of a time when I didn’t love beets. As a child, my mom was happy to keep me supplied in canned beets. After all, it was something she knew we’d all eat. My father and I preferred them hot, with lots of butter (ummm, butter) and black pepper. My mother and brother loved pickled beets.

It was always canned beets in our house. I don’t think I ever experienced a fresh beet-on-the-hoof, so to speak until I moved out on my own. With that discovery, my love for beets grew stronger. I can honestly say that I’ve never met a beet I didn’t like–well, except for those ready-to-eat ones that come in a vacuum-sealed bag and generally sold near the bags of prepared salad fixins. I’ve tried them, but they were awful.

I think beets are a seriously underused food. They can seem expensive, especially since there are usually only 3 or 4 beets in a bunch, at least at the stores here. But, remember, you can also use the leaves. Another “strike” against them is the time they take to prepare. Simmering or baking in foil can take about 45 minutes to an hour. Cooking in the microwave usually takes about 10 minutes. And the pressure cooker is a great way to prepare fresh beets.

And then there’s that staining thing. I think it’s a pretty color, but many people don’t. If you bake them, there’s not much of a problem with staining. Wearing latex-type gloves (available in most pharmacies) or holding the beets with a paper towel can reduce the amount of staining.

Believe me, the taste of fresh beets is worth the time and effort.

OK, I Got Them, Now What?

First, let’s make sure you got the right ones. If possible, buy the ones that still have the leaves. As I mentioned earlier, they can be cooked and used like most other greens. They are a pretty good indicator of whether the beets are fresh. The leaves should be full of color, not yellow. They should also not appear to be wilted.

Home from a successful beet hunt, the first thing to do is cut off the greens. Be sure to leave 2 to 3 inches of stem. This will help reduce the color running from the beet (think dye running from clothing the first few times they’re washed). The beets can be stored, refrigerated in a bag, for several weeks. The greens, however, should be used the same day they are purchased. They can be substituted for Swiss chard or spinach in many recipes.

When you decide to cook your beets, scrub them well. Don’t worry about removing the skin; that will come off after cooking. Two of the most often used methods to cook beets are simmering and baking in foil. To simmer, fill a large saucepan with the beets and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add a pinch of salt, cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until knife or fork tender. Remove from heat and drain immediately. Run under cold water and peel.

To bake in foil, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beets well and dry. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and put in a roasting pan. Bake for 45 minutes or an hour, or until fork or knife tender.

Regardless of which of these methods you use, consider cooking more than you think you’ll need for that meal. Once cooled, simmered beets can be wrapped in foil and kept in the refrigerator. If you baked them, just leave those not needed in foil  and refrigerate once cool. You can peel and eat when desired.

Many recipes that include beets require 2 cooking stages. The first stage, easily accomplished by either of the methods mentioned here, softens the beet. This reduces the cooking time necessary for the second and final cooking stage.

The beets used in Beets and Bluefish were precooked before roasting.

But Do I Have to Use Fresh Beets?

Of course you don’t have to use fresh beets when beets are called for in a recipe. You can buy a can of whole, sliced, or diced beets at the supermarket. If you’re a canner and have canned beets (they stand up to canning very well), they can be used as well. But–and you knew there had to be a but–once you’ve tried fresh beets, you may find that every other form of beet pales in comparison. I know I have. And though I still buy the occasional can of beets, my preference is always the fresh variety.

Availability and Cost

Like most produce today, beets are available year-round in most locales. The prime beet season is spring and fall. During growing season, be sure to check on them at local farmers’ markets. That’s a great place to buy fresh produce, and you’ll be supporting farms, especially small farms, as well.

As for price, it can vary widely. One of my local supermarkets recently had them on sale for $1.99/bunch. I have seen them for as much as $2.29/bunch locally. When they’re on sale, buy extra. They can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks. Cooked beets can be frozen as well. If you want to freeze them, I recommend precooking them to the almost fork/knife tender stage.

I hope you’ll give beets a chance. They’re a tasty vegetable that is too often missing from our dining experience.