How much to cook beets and how to speed up the process

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You can boil beets in 2 hours and in 8-10 minutes. It all depends on what you use: stove, multicooker or microwave.

Beets for cooking should be medium in size (no more than 10 cm in diameter), with a thin dark red skin, without damage or rot. The Bordeaux variety is considered one of the best.

Regardless of the method of preparation, the beets must be thoroughly washed, the tops must be cut off (if any) and the tail must be slightly shortened.

Do not peel the beets before cooking.

If you remove the peel, juice will flow out of the beets. The vegetable will become pale and tasteless.

How to cook beets on the stove

Method 1. Classic

Cooking time: 2 hours.

Place the beets in a saucepan and cover with cold water. The water should completely cover the vegetables. You do not need to salt the water. Sodium will harden the beets and slow down the already slow cooking process.

Place a pot of beets over medium heat. When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid and let it sit for a couple of hours.

To keep the beets their bright red color, you can add lemon juice to the water: ½ teaspoon per liter.

Readiness can be checked with a fork. If the beets pierce easily, you can drain the water and cool.

Method 2. Express cooking

Cooking time: 45-60 minutes.

To speed up the process, some housewives put the beets in already boiling water and do not reduce the heat to a minimum. And to make the water temperature even higher, add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

When the beets have boiled for about 30–35 minutes, they are removed from the heat and sent under a stream of cold water for another 15–25 minutes. The temperature difference brings the vegetable to readiness and cools it at the same time.

How to cook beets in a slow cooker

Method 1. In the "Steam cooking"

Cooking time: about 40 minutes depending on the multicooker model.

Wash the beets and place them on a steaming rack. Pour a glass of water into the bottom of the multicooker bowl. Close the appliance, set the steamer mode, and you can go about your business for 40 minutes.

Please note that for this method to work, the beets must not be dry. If the root vegetable is withering, it is better to soak it in cold water for several hours first. When the beets have absorbed moisture again, they can be boiled. But it is better on the stove or in the following way.

Method 2. In the "Extinguishing" or "Cooking" mode

Cooking time: 60–80 minutes depending on the multicooker model.

Everything is the same as in the classical method, only you do not need to regulate the fire. Just put the washed beets in the multicooker bowl, fill with water and turn on the "Stew" or "Cooking" mode (sometimes called "Soup") for 60 minutes.

After an hour, check the readiness of the beets with a fork. If it's still a bit harsh, turn on the same mode for another 20-30 minutes.

Method 3. In the "Baking" mode

Cooking time: 60 minutes depending on the multicooker model.

This method is good for young vegetables when they are tender and juicy. The beets must be washed, dried with a paper towel and wrapped in foil greased with vegetable oil (each root vegetable separately).

Then put it in the multicooker bowl and cook in the "Baking" mode for about an hour.

How to cook beets in the oven

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes.

In the same way as in the previous method, wrap each root vegetable in foil and bake at 190 ° C.

It is convenient to cook beets in the oven when you need a lot of them. For example, right away for vinaigrette and herring under a fur coat.

By the way, there is a little life hack for making salads with beets. If you want not to stain other ingredients, cut it and sprinkle with vegetable oil, and only then combine with other products.

How to cook beets in the microwave

In my family, beets are boiled in. This is the easiest and fastest way.

Cooking time: 8 to 20 minutes.

The time depends on two factors: the size of the beets and the power of the microwave. In microwaves with a capacity of 1,000 watts or more, beets are cooked in 8-10 minutes. If you have a less powerful model, double the time.

The beets must be washed (do not peel!) And placed in a glass dish. Try to put large roots around the edges, and the smallest ones in the center. Pour 3 tablespoons of water on the bottom of the container, and cover the top with a glass or a special microwave lid.

To shorten the cooking time in a low-power microwave, place the beets in a plastic baking bag and tie tightly. In this case, the cover is no longer needed.

There is no need to pierce or cut the beets: they will not explode. It is not necessary to interrupt the process and turn it over from side to side. Also, do not pour cold water over vegetables after cooking. Better to let it cool at room temperature.

The taste of beets from the microwave is exactly the same as when boiling in a saucepan.

Finished beets can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.