# Beets



## Swann (Sep 23, 2006)

When we were staying in Australia, we were served hamburgers with a slice of beet root. It was delicious; i had never thought of using it as a condiment on a burger. Next time you have one try it for a new experience with onion, pickle/relish, and catsup. You could also use it with tomato and lettuce but I am not a fan of burgers with that.


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## daisy (Sep 23, 2006)

Do you mean to tell me that you DON'T get beetroot on hamburgers outside of Australia? It's an essential part of the salad, isn't it? (Of course, it's always tinned beetroot!)


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## Swann (Sep 23, 2006)

I have beets quite often and grow them too.... love them pickled. I had never had or been served beets on a hamburger. Has anybody else? I assumed this is an Australian thing. I love a good icy borsch on a hot summer day and so easy to make.


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## BreezyCooking (Sep 23, 2006)

Although my husband doesn't care for them, I like beets, & grow them for both the root & the greens.

My favorite ways of enjoying them are plain roasted, peeled, sliced & buttered, or "glazed" in what I believe is called "Harvard" style.


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## Gretchen (Sep 23, 2006)

When roasting, always peel first and then roast. Otherwise, all you are doing is "cooking" them--no caramelization of the sugars which is what roasting enhances.


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## mish (Sep 23, 2006)

Swann said:
			
		

> I had never had or been served beets on a hamburger. Has anybody else? I assumed this is an Australian thing. I love a good icy borsch on a hot summer day and so easy to make.


 
Thanks for the tip, Swann.  I enjoy beets (and borscht), as well.  Never thought of putting it on a burger.  Another interesting burger combo -- a slice of watermelon on the burger.


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## Ellen (Sep 23, 2006)

Simply must have beetroot on burgers, pref. pickled.


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## kyles (Sep 23, 2006)

I live in England now, and when I first moved here just could not believe that other countries don't put beetroot on their burgers, they just don't know what they're missing.

A huge deli in Manchester started selling Aussie burgers, which were extremely popular, and of course, had the beetroot on them!


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## Chef_Jen (Sep 23, 2006)

Yup I love beetroot on me burger.. and on my turkey sandwiches 

Oh and Cheese and beetroot is a very northern english thing! mmmm


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## mudbug (Sep 23, 2006)

Re: the burgers - must be an Oz/UK sort of taste.  But I'm not a fan of beets, unless it's this:

*Ozzie Beetroot Chocolate Cake*

Ingredients:
2 cups beets blended to a smooth consistency
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups oil (olive or vegetable)
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour


Directions:
Mix together sugar,oil and eggs. Sift flour,soda,salt and cocoa. Add alternately with blended beetroot and vanilla. Place in greased prepared tin (large tin) Bake at 325 F for 45 to 60 mins


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## BreezyCooking (Sep 23, 2006)

I guess this will be an "agree to disagree" subject Gretchen.

I always roast my beets first & then peel, & they're not only easy as pie to peel, but are always sweet as sugar with that nice "roasted" taste.  Definitely don't feel it's necessary to "always" peel your beets first.  Just a matter of opinion only.


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## bjcotton (Sep 23, 2006)

Up until last year, I would have rather gone out in the garden and eaten worms than have beets, especially pickled beets.  Then my neighbor gave us some pickled beets in exchange for some home canned tuna.  Most things I dislike I try every few years...I sat there and ate a whole pint of his pickled beets.  I gave the recipe to friends that didn't like pickled beets and now they like them too, but only this recipe.


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## karadekoolaid (Sep 23, 2006)

Chef_Jen said:
			
		

> Yup I love beetroot on me burger.. and on my turkey sandwiches
> 
> Oh and Cheese and beetroot is a very northern english thing! mmmm


 
Hmmmph! 

Allow me to correct you there, young lady.... 

I'm from Kent, and we ALWAYS had cheese and beetroot sandwiches late at night!!


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## karadekoolaid (Sep 23, 2006)

By the way - I do my beetroot three ways. 

1) boiled in their skins, peeled, splashed with a mix of olive oil, wine vinegar, a little sugar, horseradish or mustard if available, salt and black pepper.Leave in the fridge to develop flavour.

2) " Arab" pickles: peel and slice equal quantities of baby beetroot and turnips. Make a brine/vinegar solution with 500 ml water, 500 ml wine vinegar,  3 tbsps sea salt. Bring to the boil then turn off. 
Place a few celery leaves, a little coriander seed, mustard seed and black peppercorns in the bottom of a wide-necked jar. Add a layer of beetroot. Now add a layer of turnips. Continue like this, adding a few spices every now and then, until the jar is almost full. Pour the salt/vinegar solution over the top and seal. 

3) Pickled Beetroot. We used to do this with malt vinegar which, unfortunately, is unavailable here in Venezuela. I use a 60-40 mix of wine / white vinegar. dissolve 1 tsp of sugar into the vinegar, add peppercorns and a few slices of onion to the Beetroot layers. YUM! with Cheddar cheese..


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## VeraBlue (Sep 24, 2006)

Gretchen said:
			
		

> When roasting, always peel first and then roast. Otherwise, all you are doing is "cooking" them--no caramelization of the sugars which is what roasting enhances.



Absolutely right, Gretchen.   I just made roasted beets last night.   It's a favourite around here, especially for people who had sworn against beets for the remainder of their lifetimes.   After I peel them, I cut them into wedges, toss them with olive oil, orange zest, a spoonful of honey and S&P.   The flavours burst right off the pan.

Don't you love the pink fingers, too?


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## Jyothi (Sep 24, 2006)

mudbug said:
			
		

> Re: the burgers - must be an Oz/UK sort of taste. But I'm not a fan of beets, unless it's this:
> 
> *Ozzie Beetroot Chocolate Cake*
> 
> ...


 
hi mudbug
hv a small doubt. beets to be cooked prior to blending ??


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## mudbug (Sep 24, 2006)

jyothi, I use canned beets.  If you wanted to use fresh ones, I'm sure they would need cooking first.


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## kyles (Sep 24, 2006)

I've used grated raw beetroot in the chocolate cake, just like you would carrot in a carrot cake, and its fine. 

I always roast my beets with skins, but I eat the skins! I also eat the skin on roast pumpkin. I guess I'm just strange, but that wouldn't be news to y'all!


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## mudbug (Sep 24, 2006)

hadn't thought of grating them, kyles.  Of course that would work.
I'll stick with the canned for now. however.


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## BreezyCooking (Sep 24, 2006)

You're not strange at all Kyles - I often don't bother to peel off the skins of the cooked young beets I grow myself.

However, I do peel beets I purchase, because I don't know how they've been handled & grown.


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## Swann (Sep 24, 2006)

I am glad that I started this thread as you have all given me some wonderful ideas. Thanks.

I like raspberry vinegar for pickling beets; t gives a wonderful flavor. I use the pickling solution later to make a vinegarette for salad.


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## buckytom (Sep 25, 2006)

thanks for the idea. never thought of using beets as a burger topper.  

don't forget to grate cooked beets with fresh horseradish. you can add a little vinegar if you wish. 
my mil introduced me to this combo many years ago. it's not easter at our house without beets-n-horseradish. 

i like to add chunks of farmer's cheese and hard boiled eggs, and make a meal out of it with some rye bread.


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## jkath (Sep 25, 2006)

bjcotton said:
			
		

> I gave the recipe to friends that didn't like pickled beets and now they like them too, but only this recipe.



and this recipe you speak of............may we see it?


PS - anyone else like beets glazed with fresh orange juice & cinnamon?


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## licia (Sep 25, 2006)

I've never thought of reusing the liquid in a dressing. I'll try that sometime.


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## bevkile (Sep 25, 2006)

Did you ever notice beet slices on a salad bar?  Sometimes pickled, sometimes unpick led.  I prefer the pickled but the unpickled are fine too.


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## Lizannd (Sep 25, 2006)

*Are you using pickled beets?  That really sounds good.*

It's not really much different that using a pickled cucumber which is what goes on our burgers here.


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## Dina (Sep 25, 2006)

I like beets just don't know how to prepare them.  Just look at the possibilitites.  

  This looks yummy!


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## Robo410 (Sep 25, 2006)

I've had baby beets served with pasta...really good!  I like beets with almost any stew or roasted item. They are great roasted, turned in fresh orange juice and dill!


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## kitchenelf (Sep 25, 2006)

You can also pickle some eggs in that left-over beet juice!


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## VeraBlue (Sep 25, 2006)

jkath said:
			
		

> and this recipe you speak of............may we see it?
> 
> 
> PS - anyone else like beets glazed with fresh orange juice &
> ...


   When I roast beets I toss them with grated orange zest, a dash of honey and S&P.   I think orange is a wonderful compliment for the beet flavour.

I've never added cinnamon.  I have, however, used freshly grated nutmeg when I roast parsnips.


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## bjcotton (Sep 25, 2006)

Sure enough jkath. I'll post it in the recipes section.  Uh, I guess this is the recipe section huh?  I made it both ways, with apple cider vinegar and with Balsamic.  Both were delicious.  Here it comes:


* Exported from MasterCook *
                              Pickled Beets
Recipe By     :Bill Cotton
Serving Size  : 0     Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Fruits-Vegetables
  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  8             quarts  small beets   quartered
  6               cups  cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  4               cups  water
  2          teaspoons  salt
  5               cups  sugar
  2        tablespoons  allspice
  2             3 inch  cinnamon sticks
  1           teaspoon  whole cloves
     1/4      teaspoon  hot horseradish per pint jar
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Put beets in prepared pint jars and pour hot mixture over, leaving ¼ - ½  inch head space.
Be sure to add the ¼ tsp hot horseradish to each jar.
Place hot jars on a towel to cool and seal.  If jars do not seal, refrigerate and use promptly.
Source:
  "Adapted from Earl Vasterling, neighbor"


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## CharlieD (Sep 25, 2006)

All I can say I hate beets,  and I grew up around them. Russians eat beets in many-many different dishes with beets. Only now that I'm getting older, I'm starting to eat some of them and not because I started to like them, but because I want my kids to eat them. They are supposedtly good for you.


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## Ellen (Sep 25, 2006)

I think I might try out a beet salad as in potato salad.  That might be fun. And Vera, I adore parsnips too, never added nutmeg though, will try that. Now I think of it, a veggie salad perhaps, parsnips, beet, turnip etc.  I guess it would turn out all pink.  ;Þ


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## jkath (Sep 25, 2006)

Thanks so much BJ!! Awesome reicpe! I particularly like the horseradish addition!


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## VeraBlue (Sep 25, 2006)

Ellen said:
			
		

> I think I might try out a beet salad as in potato salad.  That might be fun. And Vera, I adore parsnips too, never added nutmeg though, will try that. Now I think of it, a veggie salad perhaps, parsnips, beet, turnip etc.  I guess it would turn out all pink.  ;Þ



Cook everything seperate, Ellen.   When I do roasted root vegetables I use beets with orange zest, parsnips with nutmeg, carrots with tarragon.  I roast each seperately, and then toss them together right before I serve them.  No colour bleeding at all, and they look fabulous on the plate.


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## Alix (Sep 25, 2006)

Orange zest? How much Vera? Just a rough estimate would help. Thanks!


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## Ellen (Sep 25, 2006)

Thank you Vera.


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## toni1948 (Apr 9, 2009)

buckytom said:


> thanks for the idea. never thought of using beets as a burger topper.
> 
> don't forget to grate cooked beets with fresh horseradish. you can add a little vinegar if you wish.
> my mil introduced me to this combo many years ago. it's not easter at our house without beets-n-horseradish.
> ...


 
     I love the beet-horseradish on ham sandwiches, corned beef sandwiches, and good kielbasa.  Soooo good!!


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## Jeff G. (Apr 9, 2009)

BreezyCooking said:


> Although my husband doesn't care for them, I like beets, & grow them for both the root & the greens.
> 
> My favorite ways of enjoying them are plain roasted, peeled, sliced & buttered, or "glazed" in what I believe is called "Harvard" style.


Harvard Beets area beets in a thick vinegar/sugar/butter sauce.. very nice..  

1/3 c. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. vinegar
1 can diced beets(or fresh cooked beets), drain and reserve 1/2 c. of the juice
1 tbsp. butter
Combine sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and beet juice. Cook over low heat until thickened. Add beets and butter. Simmer 5 minutes.


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## Scotch (Apr 9, 2009)

Beets = NO!


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## mcnerd (Apr 9, 2009)

NO??? But this whole thread is a love feast for the Beet!


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## KAYLINDA (Apr 11, 2009)

For a new taste...mix beets with a can of cranberry sauce...ummmm!  We serve them this way a lot on our buffet.


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