Food

Food Information

Vegetables

Root Vegetables

BEETS

Fresh beets are available year-round. They are usually offered with the greens attached, banded in bunches that contain four or five roots. Although most people discard the greens, if they are young and fresh they can be cooked as a leaf vegetable. Beet greens, also known as beet tops, are similar in texture to fresh spinach. Some consumers prefer them to spinach because the beet tops won't collapse and get gooey if overcooked.

Some beets are shipped to market with the greens removed, packed in fifty-pound bags or bushels. These are primarily used by the restaurant trade. Very often these clip-top beets come out of storage and are not nearly as fresh or tender as the beets sold in bunches with the greens attached.

Although fresh beet root is one of our most colorful vegetables and has a sweet flavor and a smooth, tender texture, it is not one of our better-selling fresh vegetables.

However, back in Grandma's day beets were very popular. One of the reasons why beets have slipped in market share is probably the higher price tags. Canned beets, which are quite good, sell for about half the price, although there can be no doubt that fresh beets are more flavorful than the ones in tins. The other reason for declining sales popularity is the length of time it takes to cook fresh beets.

Select fresh beets that have firm, smooth-skinned, round, dark-red globes that are free from scales or cuts. Smaller- and medium-sized beets are usually more tender than larger ones. The beets that have nice, fresh, crisp greens are preferable to those with wilted tops. However, if the roots are firm and colorful, the beets will still be of acceptable quality, even if the tops are limp and have begun to show signs of decay.

During the winter months you may be offered beet roots that are packed in bags minus tops. These clip-top beets usually come out of storage. (They have a very long shelf life if stored properly.) These topless stored beets are 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. To retain top color and flavor, never cut, slice, or even peel the beets prior to boiling them. When you remove the tops, always leave an inch or two attached to the root. Any exposed cut surface of the beet will bleed out into the boiling water. After the beets are cooked, the skin peels off very easily.

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