Allotments 4 All

How long should beetroot be boiled for?  Mine seem to take ages.  I have not grown it for sometime, but don't remember it taking this long.

We always steam ours. We get about 5 in the steamer and it takes around an hour. We do like ours nice and tender though

Microwave, every time! Place in a large bowl, add a splash of water, stick a plate over the top & give it 3 or 4 minutes for a couple of smallish roots. Err on the side of undercooking - you can always give it more!

Rinse under cold tap & peel after cooking.

***WATCH OUT FOR THE STEAM WHEN YOU LIFT THE PLATE OFF***

I do my beetroot in the pressure cooker, marvellous thing - takes about 15 mins and does loads! But agree microwave is fine, and also they are nice roasted in the oven if you have it on.

Thanks for replies.  Do not have a pressure cooker.  Ofton think of buying one, and a steamer.  Will try m/w.  Will watch for steam.

We put ours in the slow cooker for 2/3 hours ,just a splash of water and if i can be bothered i wrap them in foil pack them tightly in a single layer.If I've got the oven on I wrap in foil,splash of water,in a lidded dish.YUM  :)Had some of our first harvest today.To think I spent the whole of my childhood thinking i didn't like it when it was the pickled stuff YUK,then my husbands aunt gave me the real thing :)

Easy peasy way, gives sweet results, Put beetroot in ovenproof dish-I use roasting pan, small amount of water, cover dish with foil, roast at 140-150c for 3-4 hours. When skin comes away when wrinkled it's done. Leave to cool. You can shove them in with other things up to a heat of 180c and they will obviously take less time to cook.

Easy to slice in an egg slicer and less messy when pickling also.

Beetroot takes 40 minutes to boil in the conventional pan and water. Trying to poke it with a fork or knife tip does not work as it does for testing potatoes

That is why I always try to do it in large batches. and share it out with family. Ready cooked in the skin.

It does not keep for long once cooked, only a couple of days unless you cover it with vinegar. It does not freeze either.

A few people are making Chocolate and Beetroot Muffins with cooked grated beetroot. I found them perfectly disgusting but the rest of the world seems to like them. Especially people who do not  usually like beetroot.

I froze my beetroot after cooking. I am still eating my 2007 crop. My 2008 crop was non existant!!!
I take batches out of the freezer a bit at a time and put it in a jar of any vinegar that I have. I keep it in the fridge and it is just fine.
I am on my last lot now but have a good crop coming on at the lottie now.

Hi Cacran,
What do you so with your Beetroot before freezing?
Do you pop it straight in the freezer or blanch it first?
Thanks,
Sue
(only planted mine 3 weeks ago! 4 days after getting the allotment!)

Hi 123b, glad to welcome you with your new plot. You will get plenty of opions here if you want to know anything but there is also a pretty good search.

Just click on and see if what you want is already on, it might give you an instant answer.

Hi 123b, I actually cook and slice the beetroot before freezing the then when they are defrosted, just pop them in  vinegar in a jar. Just taste like bought ones, perhaps a bit better as I know they are grown on my own allotment. :)

I dont boil beetroot, I bake it.

Wrap in foil, oven 170 degrees C for one hour.

I cook mine in the microwave ....four of them takes about 12 mins.:) but I suppose it depends on the power of your microwave...and the size of the beetroot. I have always hated using the oven unless I have something else cooking in there at the same time.
Second choice is my pressure cooker but I only use the pressure cooker if I am cooking a large quantity of beetroot.

Duke

I am liking this cooking in a micky idea.  I'm definitely going to try it next time I cook them.  Must mean all the nice stuff stays in the beetroot instead of seeping into the water.
Twinkletoes