Over the years, beets have become one of my favorite root vegetables. Not only are they a beautiful color, the earthiness from the vegetable adds so much to a meal. I will often roast beets to throw into a salad or grain pilaf or use as a puree for color. Red beets are by far the most flavorful while golden and chiogga varieties are a bit more mild but won't stain your hands as badly. The leaves are also edible and can be used in place of items like kale or Swiss chard. I'm also in the "only peel if I have to" camp and usually leave the skin on the roots.
Chioggia
Red (ie: Detroit + Bull's Blood)
Yellow/Gold
Cylindra
Fall
Winter
Raw (use smaller beets)
Roasted
Pickled
Steamed
Canned
Beets should be firm and roughly 2 to 3” in size. Larger roots (over 3”) may have a woody/unappetizing texture. Look for beets with greens as the greens are great cooked too.
Remove greens upon arriving home, leaving 1” of the stem and roots on the unwashed beets but storing the greens separately. Fresh greens can last up to a 5 to 6 days while beets can last up to 2 weeks in storage. Beets can also be frozen.
