Beets - Red, Chioggia, Golden

In Season
Summer and Fall, July through December

Storage Tips
Store up to 12 weeks

Beets should be stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer in a plastic bag for up to 12 weeks.

If you get a bunch of fresh beets with the tops on, you can store the leaves in a separate plastic bag and use within two days. 

For longer storage, wash and sort (max. 3" diameter, but smaller is better), and leave on the root tails and 1/2 in. or stem so the juice doesn't bleed out while boiling.  Boil until tender, 25-45 min. depending on size.  Cool immediately; trim tails and stem and slip off skin; slice or cube or leave whole if very small.  Freeze, leaving 1/2 in. headroom.

Culinary Tips
Gently scrub and wash the roots under water before use. No need to peel.

Steam the small cubes and serve warm with butter as a delicacy.

Raw beets can be grated into a salad.

Bake the beets to enhance their natural sweetness. Slice the washed and unpeeled beets into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a lightly oiled baking pan and season with thyme or tarragon. Add a small amount of water or apple juice in the pan. Put in 350° oven for 25 minutes until tender.

Beets can also great when steamed or boiled. Scrub beets clean but leave skins on until after cooking to minimize color and flavor loss. Run the whole, cooked beets under cold water and rub off their skins. 1 ½ inch beets take 30 minutes to cook in steam and 15-20 minutes in boiling water. Serve whole, sliced or grated.

Toss grated beets with grated carrots, apples, oil and vinegar dressing. A touch of plain yogurt makes for a wonderful color transformation.

The greens can be steamed, sautéed, and mixed with pasta.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Beet Recipes
Roasted Beets and Sautéed Beet Greens
Red Flannel Hash
French "Peasant" Beets
Penne Pasta in Roasted Beet Sauce
Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Beet, Carrot, and Fennel Slaw
Carrot and Beet Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
Roasted Winter Vegetables
"Beauty in the Beets" - Article & Recipes from the NYTimes
Beet, Orange, Arugula Salad
Roasted Beets with Moroccan Spices