What Do I Do With Fresh Beets?

Make a song

Pickled Beets






2 1/2 cups sliced canned (or fresh, cooked) beets, reserve 1/2 cup juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. Sugar (I add a little extra)
2 whole cloves
3 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 small onion, sliced (I like to do 2 small or one large)

Place the beets in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar and reserved beet
juice and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients and return
to a boil. Pour the mixture over beets. Toss until coated.
Cover and Chill.

Serve very cold.


Harvard Beets

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced onion
3 cups cooked, sliced beets or 2 (16 oz) cans sliced beets, drained

In 1-quart saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt; slowly stir in vinegar; add butter and minced onion; over medium heat, cook until thickened, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to low; add beets and cook just until heated through, stirring occasionally.


Beets in Orange Sauce

Prepare as above but use 1/2 cup orange juice instead of vinegar and
1 tsp grated orange peel instead of onion.



Fresh beets can be boiled, roasted, microwaved, sauteed, steamed or charcoal roasted.


Wash the beets and trim the ends off before cooking.

Place trimmed beets in a roasting pan and add a little water for steam. Roast the beets at 425 degrees F for 30 to 45 minutes (cover the pan with foil) or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife. Slip off the skins under running water and slice or dice.

If boiling, cook the beets for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender.

If using a microwave oven, cook the beets with a little water for 8 to 15 minutes.

Match beets with orange (juice and zest), ginger or both.

Dress beets with a vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature. Add some sweet onion, parsley, and hard-boiled egg chunks for a hearty salad.

Keep the beet greens - you can cook and eat these like any other slightly bitter greens.

If you're mixing beets with other vegetables (in a salad, for instance), cook and dress the beets separately and add them last. Their vivid color will seep into everything else otherwise.