Boiled Beets Recipes

BOILED BEETS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan add enough water so the beets are fully submerged. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down the heat to allow it to simmer for 30 minutes.
• Once cooked, rinse the beets under cool water. Then pat dry and peel away the skins.
• Slice the beets thinly and arrange on a small platter. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

HOW TO BOIL BEETS

Steps:

• Remove the tops from the beets, but leave a two inch stem. This will help the pigment from leaching into the water.
• Wash and dry the beet roots.
• Add the vinegar and the beets to a large pot of water, then cover and bring to a boil. Stir in the salt and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer until fork tender, roughly 30 to 45 minutes.
• Use a fork or slotted spoon to remove them, then let them cool. Cut off the root and stem and discard.
• Optional: Keep the beet water. Read the post for ideas on how to use it.
• Peel by using a piece of paper towel to wipe the skin off or peel under running water.
• Keep whole, quarter, slice, cube or puree depending on your recipe.
• Herb butter (try fresh dill, mint or tarragon)
• Balsamic glaze
• Beet juice reduction sauce
• Chopped caramelized or candied pecans on a salad of mixed greens

PICKLED BEETS

Steps:

• Place beets in a large stockpot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes depending on the size of the beets. If beets are large, cut them into quarters. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the beet water, cool and peel.
• Sterilize jars and lids by immersing in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Fill each jar with beets and add several whole cloves to each jar.
• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, beet water, vinegar, and pickling salt. Bring to a rapid boil. Pour the hot brine over the beets in the jars, and seal lids.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.

BOILED BEETS WITH SAUTEED BEET GREENS

Steps:

• Fill a large saucepan with water, and set over high heat. Bring water to a boil. Stir in salt, and add beets; boil until beets are fork-tender, about 45 minutes. Drain, let cool, and rub off skins under cold water.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until just golden, about 3 minutes. Add beet greens, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing greens until wilted. Remove skillet from heat. Serve warm greens with whole boiled beets. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired.

PICKLED BEETS

Steps:

• Scrub beets and trim tops to 1 in. Place in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 25-30 minutes or until tender. Remove from water; cool. Peel beets and slice; place in a bowl and set aside. , In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, cloves, allspice and salt. Bring to a boil; boil 5 minutes. Pour over beets. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Drain before serving.

BEETS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 2. Trim the beets, leaving on the skin, an inch of the stem, and the wispy "tail" on the bottom of each, then scrub and drain. Place the beets in a small casserole dish just big enough to hold them. Pour the water and canola oil over the beets then cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake until tender and easily pierced with a sharp paring knife, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 3. Remove the casserole from the oven and uncover the beets, keeping your face averted from the escaping steam. Allow the beets to cool completely in the casserole.
• 4. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl and whisk to blend. Taste and add more olive oil, if desired.
• 5. Peel the cooled beets with the back of a paring knife and cut into 3/8-inch slices. Add to the dressing in the bowl and toss gently but thoroughly to coat. Serve immediately or marinate, in the refrigerator, for up to 24 hours.

BETTY CROCKER HOW TO COOK BEETS

Steps:

• [If you can, buy beets with the stems and greens still attached, as they come out of the ground.
• Ask the produce manager at your grocery or health food store to buy organic beets with the nourishing leaves attached!]].
• Cut off all but 2 inches of the green stems.
• Save the leaves because they are very nutritious and can be steamed, sauteed or shredded in salads!
• Leave the beets whole with 2 inches of stems at the top and root ends at the bottom. This prevents the red color from seeping out into the water [and all over the place too!].
• Place in a saucepan covered with salted water to taste (with at least 1 tsp of vinegar).
• Boil until tender [usually, 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets]. Boiling can take up to 60 minutes for larger beets.
• Drain and run cold water over beets. The skins will slip right off with the root ends, but make sure you wear kitchen gloves so your hands don't turn red.
• To serve, you can add melted butter, salt and pepper, basil, savory, caraway seeds or sprinkle with minced chives or parsley.
• NOTE: i prefer to steam my vegetables in an OSTER mechanical food steamer available cheap with free shipping from amazon.com - so i peel and slice mine for faster cooking as i do for all potatoes.
• But you can steam this in a covered pot with a steamer insert also - just make sure the water doesn't evaporate: bring the salted water with more vinegar added to a boil and add the steamer insert and beets. Cover and steam on medium or medium low heat until they are your desired tenderness.
• One thing is for sure - never peel or cut the stems or roots if steaming or boiling whole - it's SO much easier not to have red dye and red water dripping everywhere - and the skins come right off easily once cooked. Peeling is a waste of time and makes a mess!

ROASTED BEETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wash the beets well and put them in a roasting pan, still wet; cover the pan with foil. Bake until soft, about 45 minutes (use a thin-bladed knife to pierce through the foil and into the beets to test for doneness). Remove the beets, then allow them to cool a bit.
• When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them (the peels will slip off easily), then slice or dice them, as you prefer. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, garnish with the parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature.