How To Cook Beets

Good Information on How to Cook Beets

If you love the flavor of beets but have no idea the best way for how to cook beets, this article will help.  The great thing about beets is that they are sold at local grocery stores in the produce section, canned, and picked, or they can be grown in a homegrown garden.  Sadly, some people do not think they like the flavor only because they have only tasted them cooked one way.

The truth is that when it comes to how to cook beets, this vegetable can be prepared in a variety of ways.  This article will provide you with information and tips on preparing this delicious and nutritious vegetable.  When cooked in a multitude of ways, each member of the family would find one specific preparation they like so everyone can enjoy beets.

No matter the method on how to cook beets you choose, the first step always starts with cleaning the vegetables thoroughly.  Since fresh beets sold in grocery stores are often treated with chemicals to preserve them, just as with all vegetables.  Therefore, you want to wash the beets and preferably, use a vegetable brush to remove any surface treatment and dirt.

One of the most common methods used on how to cook beets begins with trimming the beets and then placing them in a roasting pan with about one inch of water.  This would then be placed in the oven and baked for about 45 minutes at 425 degrees.  To help the beets cook, you want to cover the pan with foil or a lid.  To check for doneness, simply pierce one of the beets and if the knife goes through easily, it is done.

After using this method on how to cook beets, you then want to put the cooked beets in a colander and run them under tap water so the outer skin can be removed.  Once the skin has been removed, simply place the beets on a cutting board and slice, dice, or cut into bite-size pieces.  At that point, you could add butter, salt, vinegar, or any other seasoning that you prefer.

Another popular way on how to cook beets is by boiling them.  Just as you did before, the beets would be thoroughly washed, brushed, and then placed in a pot of boiling water.  Often, people will use a little bit of salt in the water to enhance the natural beet flavor.  When boiling beets, it takes approximately 30 minutes.  Again, you could use a knife or fork to pierce the vegetable to determine if it is tender and if so, then cooking time is done.

You will also find a method on how to cook beets often used is with the microwave.  Think of beets similar to potatoes and sweet potatoes.  To microwave them, clean, brush, rub with a little bit of vegetable oil and then pierce a couple of times with fork prongs.  Then, microwave for about seven to eight minutes for a single beet and up to 15 minutes for three.

Keep in mind that along with actually cooking beets, this vegetable can also be run through an electric juicer along with other vegetables such as carrots to create a highly nutritional drink.  For actual recipes, you can scour the internet and discover virtually hundreds of possibilities.