Jamie Oliver's Smoked Beets Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why add vinegar to beets? ›

I simply grate or julienne them and then pour balsamic vinegar on them raw. The resulting beet slaw is just delicious. The strong taste of the vinegar balances the strong taste of beets. Sometimes I add other grated root vegetables like carrots, turnips, parsnips or even purple cabbage.

Sweet and tangy pomegranate juice coats small roasted beets, giving them punchy flavor. A little extra salt on top seals the deal.

No need to peel before or after baking. The skin, which is perfectly edible, just seems to disappear during the baking process. The trick to pan-roasted beets is to drop the temperature a bit. I always roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and pretty much all the other veggies at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

My favorite way to cook beets is to roast them, which gives a sweeter, richer, and deeper flavor than boiling does. Another advantage is that they don't bleed as much, especially if they're roasted whole.

Beetroot is low in carbohydrates as compared to other root vegetables, making it a considerable option for diabetics. It is a good source of fibre which helps to increase satiety and slow down the absorption of carbohydrates preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar levels.

Vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, and beets can help increase your fiber and reduce acid reflux symptoms.

Did you know that there's a scientific reason that these little earth gems make you feel good? Now you do! Beets are a fantastic source of the chemical betaine anhydrous and the amino acid tryptophan, both of which are shown to improve your mood.

You can use cooked beets in salads, to make hummus or to blend into smoothies. They can be diced for slaw, quartered for a grain bowl or mashed to make a dip or spread. Their thick and chewy texture is even great in a galette or quesadilla.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Get out a large rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Rinse and scrub the beets under cool water, using a vegetable brush to get off any caked on dirt. Don't scrub the beets too hard, as you don't want to damage the skin. Rub each beet with a bit of coconut oil.

Whatever the cooking method, you can minimize bleeding by not peeling the skin and by not slicing off the tops of the beets. Peeling after cooking is simple; the skin slips right off with a paper towel.

Can dogs eat beets? ›

Yes! Beets are safe for your dog to eat in moderation and are a healthy source of vitamin C, fiber, folate, manganese, and potassium. These vitamins and minerals are good for your dog's digestion and immune system as well as a healthy skin and coat. While it's rare, some dogs can be allergic.

Beets and beet juice are high in nitrates, substances that turn into nitric oxide inside your body. Your body naturally produces nitric oxide, which is crucial for blood vessel health. Nitric oxide relaxes and widens your arteries, allowing more blood to flow through and significantly lowering blood pressure.

Like many vegetables, the longer you cook beets—especially in water—the more the colorful phytonutrients leach out of the food and into the water. Retain the good-for-you nutrients in beets by roasting them or sautéing them instead. Or lightly steam them for just a few minutes, suggests Doyle.

Roasting brings out their natural sweetness, which is enhanced by a drizzle honey and balsamic vinegar. Roasting beets also give them the best texture (not mushy like boiled beets). Roasted beets taste like vegetable candy, and are so delicious my kids love them too!

Vinegar helps the red pigments in the beet stay bright red and gives it this deep red-purple hue that makes you want to sink your teeth into it as soon as it's cooked.

Beetroots can taste bitter due to compounds like geosmin and saponins. To reduce bitterness when eating them as a vegetable, choose young beetroots, peel and cook them, combine with other flavors, blanch them, or remove the skin before cooking. 2nd method you can boil beetroot to reduce bitterness before cooking.

Steaming beets is a healthful cooking method because they retain most of their vitamins and minerals—they're not boiled out in water—and stay incredibly vibrant. Plus, steaming small beets or beet quarters is quick and easy for weeknights.

Rich in nutrients. Beets are a root vegetable that's often pickled. Though pickling causes a small loss of nutrients, pickled beets remain a rich source of vitamins and minerals.