With vitamins A and C, folic acid and potassium, and only 58 calories per cup, beets are a guilt-free addition to almost any dish or meal. Although red varieties are well known -- in part because their juice will stain your hands or clothing a rich purple color -- you can also find golden beets. You can use the same techniques to peel either color of beet, but with golden beets you don't have to worry about the red stains.
Step 1
Put on an apron and gloves. These protect you from dying your skin or clothing if your hands slip.
Step 2
Wash the beets off, scrubbing them thoroughly with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt in cracks and crevices. Cut off any greens about half an inch from the top of the root. You can eat the beet greens, too, but obviously they don't need to be peeled.
Step 3
Bake small-to-medium beets in the oven at 375 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes to an hour, or simmer them in water until tender -- 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the beets' size.
Step 4
Remove the beets from the oven or from the cooking water and let cool until they're safe to touch, but still warm.
Step 5
Slice the greens stems off, flush with the root, and cut off the tap root. Pick each beet up and rub it with your gloved thumbs; the skin should come right off. If the skin sticks to the beet flesh, it's not thoroughly cooked.
Step 6
Slice or dice the beets and pair them with your favorite greens in a salad, or serve the beets cubed on a tasting platter with white cheeses.
Tips and Warnings
- If you absolutely must peel your beets before cooking or intend to eat them raw, peel them with a vegetable peeler, just as you'd peel a raw potato. You can also use a paper towel to encourage the peel off a cooked beet.
Things You'll Need
- Apron
- Gloves
- Vegetable brush
- Knife
- Baking dish or cooking pot
References
- Penn State Cooperative Extension -- Berks Country: "The Beet Goes On" ...Root Vegetable for Any Meal
- University of Illinois Extension: Watch Your Garden Grow: Beet
- Healthy Habits Coach Blog: Easy Ways to Cook Root Vegetables
- University of Maine: Vegetables and Fruits for Health: Beets and Beet Greens
Member Comments