Regardless of what your favorite type of beets are, there are many ways you can cook them. You can boil them, microwave them, or even oven steam them. However, when you are cooking beets, you want to make sure that you are doing it correctly. You don’t want to overcook them or undercook them, because then they will be tough and hard to eat.
Boiling
Whether you’re making a side dish, a salad or an appetizer, boiling beets is a quick and easy way to cook a hearty root vegetable. They can be eaten as-is, or seasoned with olive oil, flakey sea salt or freshly cracked black pepper.
To make beets, start by cleaning them thoroughly. This involves removing any attached greens or stems. This will help to keep the nutrient value of the beet intact.
The size of the beets will affect how long they need to be cooked. Smaller beets will take about 30 minutes, while larger ones can be simmered for an hour or more.
Before cooking, beets should be scoured with a brush to remove any dirt or debris. You can also use a paring knife to peel the skin away.
Once the beets have finished cooking, they should be removed from the heat. They will be firm but not overcooked. They will release pink juice as they sit. Once they’re ready, they can be pierced with a knife or toothpick.
If you’re worried about color leakage from the beets, you can add a few tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. This will help set the color and keep it bright.
After you have cooked and peeled your beets, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last for three to five days. If you’re freezing them, they can last for up to six months. You can also store them in zip-top freezer bags.
Oven steaming
Whether you’re looking for a sweet side dish to go with your meal or just want to enjoy a snack, cooking beets in the oven can be a simple and healthy option. These vegetables can be steamed, baked, boiled or roasted in a variety of ways. Each method has its own flavor and can be used to prepare beets.
If you want to steam beets in the oven, you need to make sure that they are properly prepared. You can peel the beets before you cook them, but you should not remove the skin before cooking. Leaving the skin on allows nutrients to stay in the beets.
To steam beets, you’ll need a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Fill the pot with a little over an inch of water and bring it to a boil. Depending on the size of your beets, you may need to add a bit more water.
You can cook whole beets in the oven, or you can cut them into wedges or slices. To keep the beets from drying out, you can cover them with foil. When they are done, remove them from the oven and cool them in a covered pan.
If you’re planning on serving beets with a side of meat, you might want to try roasting them instead of boiling them. This method will give your dish a charred and tender flavor. This process will take about 45-60 minutes.
For the whole roast method, you’ll first wrap the beets in foil and place them in a baking dish. Next, you’ll sprinkle them with olive oil, and then season them with sea salt and black pepper.
Microwave
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just have a healthier diet, cooking beets can help. These vegetables are packed with vitamins and nutrients, including folate, folic acid and potassium. They can be used to make salads and appetizers. They’re also great in desserts, sauces and smoothies.
Before cooking beets, you need to clean them thoroughly. Be sure to remove the tops, stems and green leaves. You can then use a vegetable brush to scrub them thoroughly.
Once the beets are cleaned, you can either roast them or microwave them. If you want to roast them, you can cut them into small pieces and place them in a foil-lined baking sheet. Heat them at 400 degF for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then, let them cool.
For microwaving, beets should be placed in a large dish with a vented lid. Add a little water or white vinegar if desired. You should then cook them on high for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on their size. You’ll need to stir them every 5 minutes to ensure they’re cooked.
Once the beets are done, peel them. If the skin isn’t peelable, rub off the excess with a paper towel. If the skin is still too thick, you can pierce the flesh with a fork. This will release the juice and start draining the moisture. You’ll need to leave the beets to cool for a few minutes before peeling them.
If you’re using sliced beets, you can microwave them for about 2 minutes. They will come out slightly soft. If you’re using whole beets, you can cook them in the oven or microwave for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Pressure cooker
Using a pressure cooker to cook beets is a fast and easy way to prepare these healthy vegetables. You can enjoy them fresh, frozen, or cooked into puree for smoothies. They are packed with vitamins, fiber, and minerals, and they are a great source of antioxidants. You can add salt and vinegar to your beets for additional flavor.
To make pressure cooker beets, begin by cutting the beets into even pieces. You can cut them into a half-inch cube, or into three-inch wedges. You should remove the stems from the beets.
You should then rinse the beets under cold water. This will help remove the skins from the beets. You should also rinse the beets well after cooking to avoid staining your hands.
Once you have rinsed the beets, you will need to place them in the pressure cooker. You should also place a trivet in the pressure cooker. The trivet will prevent the beets from getting soggy.
To cook beets in a pressure cooker, you should start by setting your IP to MANUAL. Once the IP comes to pressure, you should close the lid. You should then wait for it to naturally release for 10 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can release the pressure with a quick release.
Misunderstood
Using beets in the kitchen is not for the faint of heart. They are heavy, and will slug you out of the water if you’re not careful. Thankfully, there are recipes that don’t involve a full-on assault on your taste buds. Luckily, you don’t have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a meal that may or may not be worthy of a Michelin star. The trick is in choosing the right recipe and the resulting meal. The following tips are a good place to start.
A good rule of thumb is to not try to cook beets more than once. If you’re going to try to concoct a single serving, try to break it up into several smaller meals. This will also give you a chance to get your head in the game, rather than on the field. Using a microwave is not conducive to such an endeavor. A well-planned recipe will yield a delicious, if not calorie-free, dinner that’s ready in under a hour. The only caveat is that you’ll need to eat the rest of your meal at a time that you’re not tired.