How and How Long to Boil Beets: Cooking Secrets
Beets are a unique root vegetable, simply indispensable in the human diet. Lovers of dishes made from this vegetable are not afraid of heart and vascular diseases, vitamin deficiency, or even oncology. The main thing is to cook beets correctly so that they do not lose their valuable properties. We'll tell you how!
Beet Wisdom
Surprisingly, cooked beets are even healthier for the human body than raw ones. Moreover, fresh root vegetables can only be added to salads, but cooked ones are used to prepare an incredible number of dishes, from the famous red borscht to salads and appetizers.
Before boiling, it is recommended to wash the beets thoroughly. A clean vegetable brush is suitable for this. Go over the entire circumference of the root vegetable thoroughly so that the dirt is perfectly washed off. It is forbidden to use any detergents or cleaning agents. Beets have a very thin and porous skin, and chemicals will instantly penetrate inside the fruit.
Try not to damage the integrity of the vegetable's skin, otherwise, it will lose juice during cooking, the flesh will turn grayish and become unpleasant to the taste. For the same reason, do not cut off the rootlets.
Peel the beets only after they are completely cooked and cooled. Cooking the vegetable unpeeled will preserve its healing and taste qualities.
To the pot of water where the beets will be boiled, add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice, half a tablespoon of white vinegar, or one teaspoon of sugar. This is what experienced chefs do to make the cooked beets even tastier and brightly crimson when cut.
Do not add salt to the water in which the beets are boiling. This will make the root vegetable tough and it will take twice as long to cook.
Some varieties of beets "sin" with a sharp and not very pleasant aroma. If you come across such root vegetables, don't worry, this smell can be easily neutralized if you put a crust of black bread in the water along with the beets.
If your beets have been sitting in the pantry for a bit too long and have become wilted, that's also fixable. Place the washed beet in a pot, pour boiling water over it, then cover with room temperature water. Let it sit for a couple of hours, then put it on to boil without changing the water in the pot. The cooked vegetable will be juicy and firm.
It's very easy to check if the beets are done. Pierce them with a fork; if the tines of the utensil go into the flesh without crunching or resistance, you can turn off the heat.
The water in which the beets were boiled acquires many beneficial properties. From this decoction, you can prepare a medicinal drink that improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, lowers blood pressure, and combats swelling. To improve the taste, add a pinch of ground cinnamon, half a teaspoon of grated ginger root, and a little honey to the hot decoction. Stir and enjoy the excellent taste.
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Boiling Beets Correctly!
We've established that it's better to boil beets in advance and only then peel, chop, and add them to various dishes. Now let's find out how to properly prepare the root vegetable for each specific dish!
1. How to boil for svyokolnik (cold beet soup) and red borscht
Many housewives, when preparing first courses, put raw grated beets directly into the broth. But this is not entirely correct! Firstly, almost all the beneficial properties of the root vegetable are lost this way. Secondly, it turns brownish, which is not very appetizing. And thirdly, beets pre-boiled according to all the rules will make the dish brightly crimson and very tasty.
Place a pot of water on the stove, dissolve a spoonful of sugar in it, add a little vinegar, immerse the beets, and boil after coming to a boil for two to three hours. The lid should be slightly ajar. During cooking, keep an eye on the beets from time to time; you may need to add water several times. When the vegetable is ready, pour cold water over it. This way it will cool faster and be easier to peel.
2. How and How Long to Boil Beets for Salads
If you've decided to treat your family to a delicious and healthy vegetarian vinaigrette, then you'll surely be interested to know that for this and other salads, beets should be cooked in a special way. Pour boiling water over the washed root vegetable, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, a bay leaf, peppercorns, a couple of lemon wedges, and a spoonful of sugar to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about an hour. Then quickly transfer the beets to ice water.
3. For Stews, Vegetable Cutlets, and Caviar
For some dishes that involve further stewing, beets are boiled until half-cooked. Wash the root vegetables, preferably choosing small, slightly flattened ones (beet caviar made from them turns out tastier and more aromatic), and place them in a pot. Put it on the stove, pour boiling water with lemon juice and a cinnamon stick over them. Boil for 20-25 minutes. Then immediately pour very cold water over them and leave for half an hour.
4. How to Cook Beets in the Microwave
Vegetables cooked in the microwave turn out very delicious. For salads like "Pomegranate Bracelet" or "Herring Under a Fur Coat," microwave-cooked beets are an ideal option. Pour half a glass of water into a glass pot. Place the prepared vegetables, cover with a lid, and cook on maximum power for 10-12 minutes. Wait 30 minutes without opening the microwave door. During this time, the beets will be fully cooked, retaining their color and taste.
And another method: wash the root vegetables as usual, place them in a baking sleeve, tie the "tails" with a string, make several punctures with a toothpick over the entire surface of the sleeve, and put it in the microwave. If the vegetables are young and small, they will be fully cooked in half an hour. Set the power to medium to preserve the vitamins in the vegetables. Similarly, you can bake beets in the oven. In this case, set the temperature to 200 degrees Celsius and cook for about 45 minutes.
5. How and How Long to Cook Beets in a Multicooker
Place small, uniformly sized beets into the multicooker bowl. Cover them completely with cold water. Set the "Soup" mode and set the time to 25 minutes. Then check the beets for doneness; if you have old and tough vegetables, let them cook for another 15-20 minutes. Transfer the cooked beets to a deep bowl, cover with cold water, and let them cool completely.
6. How Long to Steam Beets
If you are the happy owner of this kitchen marvel, then use it to steam beets. This will probably be the easiest way to cook root vegetables. At the same time, they will retain vitamins and microelements, turning out tasty and tender. Steamed beets are suitable for adding to first and second courses, salads, and appetizers.
Arrange the thoroughly washed vegetables on the steamer rack; for more rational use of space and to save electricity, place potatoes and carrots next to the beets. This way, you will prepare all the ingredients at once, for example, for vinaigrette or "herring under a fur coat." The cooking time for beets in a steamer ranges from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the root vegetables.
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Methods for Storing Cooked Beets
Use cooked and peeled beets immediately. For example, you boiled a couple of root vegetables for borscht, but only needed one. Grate the second one, dress it with unrefined vegetable oil, add finely chopped onion and a pickled gherkin. Drizzle with lemon juice and salt to taste. You'll get an excellent salad.
If preparing appetizers is not in your plans, then you can freeze cooked beets. Grate the peeled vegetable or cut it into small cubes, place it in a plastic bag, tie it tightly, and put it in the freezer. Store for no more than three months.
Unpeeled cooked beets can be stored in a bag or a tightly sealed plastic container for two to three days. During this time, it is essential to consume them.
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