Beets are one of my favorite food products to work with during fall and winter. They are extremely versatile, come in all different shapes and sizes, and have an earthiness that just screams “winter comfort food.” Although there are many different ways to prepare and serve beets, one of my favorites, and most classical methods, is roasting.
To Roast Beets:
- Start by wrapping each beet individually in foil and then group by size.
- Roast in a 500 F/260 C oven until you can easily poke a wooden skewer into the center. (For approximate roasting times, see below).
- Once beets are done roasting, let cool in foil until cold enough to easily handle.
- Unwrap the foil and peel off the beet skin by rubbing with a clean kitchen towel until the skin is completely removed.
- Note: If peeling different colored beets at the same time, start by peeling the lightest colored beet and working your way up to the darkest, (the red beet). This will prevent the darker beets from staining the lighter beets.
- Note #2: When handling red beets, it’s advisable that you wear plastic gloves so you won’t stain your hands, and be conscious that the beet will stain just about anything it comes into contact with.
Approximate Roasting Times For Beets @ 500 F/260 C Oven
- Baby Beets (Golf Ball Size): 0:45 min-1:30 hours
- Medium Beets (Baseball Size): 1:30-2 hours
- Large Beets (Softball Size): 2-2:30 hours
- Note: These times are just approximations and everyone’s oven is different. For true accuracy, use these times as a guideline and check for desired tenderness with a wooden skewer.
OK, Now What?
Now that you’ve successfully roasted and peeled your beets, here are some ideas of what you can do with them. First, check out this post that I did on a Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon that I serve at the restaurant. Some other ideas are:
- Dice up and use as a salad garnish.
- Beets go great with cheese, especially Goat Cheese, Gorgonzola, Ricotta and Queso Fresco.
- Beets also go great with Dijon Mustard, Sea Salt, Walnuts, and Tarragon.
- Try combining some of the flavors and ingredients from above, and adding your own spin on presentation and flavor structure.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
My girlfriend loves beets, I think it is your earthiness description that really grips her. Their texture is pretty hearty and they can have lots of flavor, you just have to tease it out of them.
@ Marco,
I find that some of the best things to eat are the ones that you have to “tease” flavor out of. Are you going to make this dish for your girlfriend?