Beets

How To Cook Them

Utensils/Equipment:
Cutting Board, Paring Knife, Large Stockpot, Steamer Basket.

Cut off the greens of the beetroot leaving about 2.5cm of the stem on. Do not trim the root end off. This will keep the beetroot juice from leaching out during cooking.
Gently wash beetroot under cold running water. Carefully scrub the delicate skin of the beetroot with a paper towel. Keep the skin intact to also reduce the amount of beetroot juice loss.
To Steam:
Place beetroot in a vegetable steamer basket in a large stockpot. Add about 5cm of water to the pot.
Cover and place on stovetop. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Beetroot should take about 40 minutes to steam depending on their size. Beetroot is fully cooked when it can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
To Roast:
Wrap beetroot in heavy-duty foil or double wrap with regular weight foil. If beetroot is large, wrap individually. If small, wrap together. Do not wrap too tight. Leave room for the heat to circulate. Pinch all the edges to seal.
Place beetroot on the middle rack of a preheated 200°C oven. Bake 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours depending on the size of the beets. Beetroot is fully roasted when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
To Boil:
Place trimmed and washed beetroot in a large saucepot with enough cold water to cover by about 5cm. Cover and bring to a boil.
Crack lid and reduce heat to a medium boil. Cook for 35 to 45 minutes depending on size. Beetroot is fully cooked when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
To Microwave:
Place beetroot in a shallow microwaveable dish. Add ¼ cup water. Do not cook more than 250g at a time in the microwave.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook beetroot on HIGH for about 10 minutes. Beetroot is fully cooked when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
When cool enough to handle, peel the beets by rubbing them gently with paper towels. The skin should slip off very easily. The towels will also help prevent stained hands from the juice.
Use a paring knife to remove any stubborn skin spots and to cut off the stem and root end.
Clean any beetroot juice from your hands with a little lemon juice and soap.