FoodFood InformationVegetablesRoot Vegetables
Fresh beets are available year-round. They are usually offered with thegreens attached, banded in bunches that contain four or five roots. Althoughmost people discard the greens, if they are young and fresh they can becooked as a leaf vegetable. Beet greens, also known as beet tops, are similarin texture to fresh spinach. Some consumers prefer them to spinach becausethe beet tops won't collapse and get gooey if overcooked.
Some beets are shipped to market with the greens removed, packed in fifty-poundbags or bushels. These are primarily used by the restaurant trade. Veryoften these clip-top beets come out of storage and are not nearly as freshor tender as the beets sold in bunches with the greens attached.
Although fresh beet root is one of our most colorful vegetables and hasa sweet flavor and a smooth, tender texture, it is not one of our better-sellingfresh vegetables.
However, back in Grandma's day beets were very popular. One of the reasonswhy beets have slipped in market share is probably the higher price tags.Canned beets, which are quite good, sell for about half the price, althoughthere can be no doubt that fresh beets are more flavorful than the onesin tins. The other reason for declining sales popularity is the length oftime it takes to cook fresh beets.
Select fresh beets that have firm, smooth-skinned, round, dark-red globesthat are free from scales or cuts. Smaller- and medium-sized beets are usuallymore tender than larger ones. The beets that have nice, fresh, crisp greensare preferable to those with wilted tops. However, if the roots are firmand colorful, the beets will still be of acceptable quality, even if thetops are limp and have begun to show signs of decay.
During the winter months you may be offered beet roots that are packed inbags minus tops. These clip-top beets usually come out of storage. (Theyhave a very long shelf life if stored properly.) These topless stored beetsare all right but won't be quite as tender as the fresh beets.
Beets are at their flavor and color best when they are cooked whole. Toretain top color and flavor, never cut, slice, or even peel the beets priorto boiling them. When you remove the tops, always leave an inch or two attachedto the root. Any exposed cut surface of the beet will bleed out into theboiling water. After the beets are cooked, the skin peels off very easily.
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