First time cooking beetroot - help please!

[shirlthegirl43]

Okay so I am rather older than I should be to confess to cooking beetroot for the first time but there we go!

I bought beets to pickle (coz mine never grew and I was determined to have pickled beetroot) and I have bunged them in water and they have been boiling for a while. I need to check if they are cooked but pardon the thick question, is it okay to stab them like I do spuds? I have read so much about them 'bleeding' and know that they bruise easily so I wondered how to check them.

Quick replies would be muchly appreciated as I am feeling quite sick from the smell of boiling beetroots

[scarey55]

Hang on Shirey, I'll go and get my book

[seasprout]

Stab away, helps if its the biggest one.

They are gonna bleed anyway, just wait till you come to rub the skins off.....

[lynda66]

i've never cooked beetroot either

[shirlthegirl43]

Stab away, helps if its the biggest one.

They are gonna bleed anyway, just wait till you come to rub the skins off.....

LOL, that was going to be my next question (how to peel them) - along with do I leave them to cool in the cooking water?

i've never cooked beetroot either

Thanks for making me feel better lynda66 - all the recipe books I have seem to assume I have cooked beetroot since I was 6 (I recall my mum serving it but not cooking it)

[scarey55]

Says in my Larousse that they can be boiled in salted water but it seems it can take up to 2 hours

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks Scarey, they have been simmering merrily for around 3 hours (I lost count and I am juicing grapes so forgot all about them till the smell started to permeate the whole house! They better pickle as well as my onions (also bought this year)

[lynda66]

and another shock confession....... i've only ever eaten them pickled

[shirlthegirl43]

and another shock confession....... i've only ever eaten them pickled

I only enjoy them pickled but I have been forced to eat them with white sauce over (where's the smiley with the green face?) when I was little!

[lynda66]

you mean this one?

[shirlthegirl43]

you mean this one?

YUP! Perfectly represents my impression of unpickled beetroot - thanks

[coreopsis]

What about beetroot soup?

[coreopsis]

Poor you Shirl.My mum forced me to eat carrot soup when I was about six.I like carrot but the rest of my life I won't go anywhere carrot soup.

[lottie dolly]

i USED to boil them,the ruddy mess all over the place,my lovely next door neighbour tolled me another way,put the beets into a dish with a lid,put boiling water in up to 1/2 way up them,and microwave,timing depends on size,baby ones will only need aprox 10 mins,i have done really large ones,say 2 together aprox 3 to 4 ins accross,done in 1/2 an hour,if you gently scrape the outside of the beet,and the skin comes away,then they done,if not,put em back for a few more,they seem to have a lot more flavour on account of not boiling for so long,would never go back to boiling again,soooo much cleaner,easier and quicker,try it and see for yourselfes.

[shirlthegirl43]

Not sure Madmax would be too happy if I put the microwave on for that long with leccy prices as they are just now! Might just try them in the oven next time (if there is a next time). Thanks for the tip though - prolly worth it if you are doing a big batch.

Is it best to leave them to cool in the water or not?