Emilie Meyer
Beets are a nutritious vegetable that can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiling, steaming, roasting, pickling, and pan-frying. While beets may be prepared in numerous ways, this paragraph will focus on the process of pan-frying beets, a cooking method that results in a crispy, buttery, and naturally sweet dish. Pan-fried beets make an excellent side dish, salad topper, or even a snack when paired with the right dressings and seasonings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Preparation time | 30-40 minutes |
| Cooking time | 5-20 minutes |
| Cooking utensils | Large pot, saucepan, skillet, paper towel, potato peeler |
| Ingredients | Beetroots, butter, ghee, olive oil, salt, pepper, flour, cayenne, garlic, mint cream, feta cheese, Italian dressing, ranch dressing |
| Recipe | Boil beetroots, peel, slice, heat butter in skillet, fry beets, season, serve |
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What You'll Learn
Boil beets for 20-40 minutes
Boiling beets is a fast and easy method of cooking them. The boiling time depends on the size of the beetroot. Small beets take about 20 minutes to boil, while medium beets take about 30 minutes, and large beets can take 40 minutes or longer.
To boil beets, first, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Wash the beets and trim off the beet greens, leaving about an inch of the stem to prevent too much red juice from bleeding out during boiling. Then, add the beets to the boiling water and cook them until they are tender when pierced with a knife.
Once the beets are boiled, drain them and let them cool. You can place them in a bowl of ice water to cool them quickly if you want to add them to a salad. When they are cool enough to handle, use your fingers or a paper towel to rub off the skins. The beet juice will stain your fingers, but it washes off.
You can serve the boiled beets right away, or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
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Peel and slice
To peel and slice beets, start by boiling them in a large pot of lightly salted water for about 20 minutes, or until they are slightly tender. Drain the water and let the beets cool until you can handle them. You can speed up the cooling process by rinsing the beets in cold water or placing them in a bowl of ice water. Once they are cool, use your hands to pull the peels off the beets. Alternatively, you can use a potato peeler to remove the peels.
After peeling, slice the beets into uniform slices. For pan-frying, it is recommended to cut the beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices. If you want to caramelize the beet slices, it is important that each slice has full contact with the surface of the pan, so try to lay them flat in the pan without overcrowding. You may need to cook the beets in batches to ensure even cooking.
When slicing the beets, keep in mind that the size and thickness of the slices will impact the cooking time and the final texture. Thicker slices may take longer to cook and will have a softer or more tender texture, while thinner slices may cook faster and have a crispier texture.
Additionally, the shape of the slices can also vary depending on your preference. You can cut the beets into wedges, rounds, or matchsticks. Just make sure that the slices are relatively consistent in size and thickness to ensure even cooking.
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Fry in butter or oil
First, wash and dry the beets. Cut off the ends and slice the beets into quarter-inch slices. You can peel the beets with a potato peeler before slicing or boil them first, which makes peeling easier. If boiling, place them in a pot of lightly salted water and boil for 20 to 40 minutes, then drain and rinse.
Next, heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. You can also use ghee. If using butter, be careful not to burn it. You want the pan to get hot enough to crisp the beets. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl, and dredge the beets through the mixture to create a coating. Then, place the beets in the hot pan and let them cook. It should take about 5 minutes per side, depending on the size and thickness of the beet slices. Rotate the pan every few minutes if you notice one side is cooking faster.
When done, the beets should be lightly browned or blackened. You can serve them with a creamy mint sauce, or season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Season with salt and pepper
Seasoning with salt and pepper is a crucial step in the pan-frying process for beets. Salt enhances the natural sweetness of beets and brings out their flavour, while pepper adds a subtle kick and depth of flavour.
There are a few different ways to season your beets with salt and pepper. One way is to combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl and dredge the beets through the flour mixture before placing them in the hot pan. This method will give your beets a crispy coating and help seal in their juices.
Another way to season your beets is to simply sprinkle them with salt and pepper after frying. This method is best if you prefer a lighter seasoning that doesn't alter the texture of the beets. You can also add a drizzle of olive oil, which will enhance the flavour and give the beets a glossy finish.
If you're feeling creative, you can experiment with different types of salt and pepper to find your perfect flavour combination. For example, you could try using sea salt, which has a stronger flavour than regular table salt, or freshly ground pepper, which has a more robust flavour than pre-ground pepper.
Don't be afraid to adjust the seasoning to your taste. Taste your beets as you cook, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Remember, it's easier to add more seasoning than to take it away, so start with a light hand and build from there.
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Serve with sauce or dressing
There are many sauces and dressings that can be served with pan-fried beets. Here are some ideas and tips to get you started:
Creamy mint sauce
A dairy-free creamy mint sauce can be made with Miyoko’s Dairy-Free Cream Cheese or a cashew or cauli base. If you are not dairy-free, you can use regular cream cheese or sour cream. The key to getting perfectly caramelized beet slices is to use a cast-iron pan and ensure that each slice has full contact with the surface of the pan. Add more fat if you don’t see a sizzle. While the beets cook, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth and set aside. When you’re done cooking the beets, add the garlic slices to the skillet. Tilt the skillet so that the garlic slices are fully submerged in the fat and fry until golden brown. Spoon the garlic chips over the beets and serve the mint cream on the side, sprinkling more garlic chips on top.
Feta and champagne dressing
This classy side dish involves coating beet slices in a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne before frying them in butter. The feta and champagne dressing is a perfect complement to the earthy sweetness of the beets.
Blue cheese
Adding a few chunks of blue cheese to each serving can make the beet and onion flavors pop.
Balsamic drizzle
A balsamic drizzle can be a great addition to fried beets. Simply fry your beets as desired and then drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving.
Butter and sage
For a simple yet delicious sauce, try browning some butter and adding chopped fresh sage leaves to crisp up before adding your beets to the pan.
Experiment with different sauces and dressings to find your favorite combination!
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Frequently asked questions
First, wash and dry the beets. Cut off the ends and slice the beets into quarter-inch slices. Boil the beets in a pot of lightly salted water for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the beets and let them cool. Peel the skin off the beets and slice them into your preferred sizes. Melt butter in a cast-iron pan on medium to high heat. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Dredge the beets through the flour mixture. Place the beets in the hot pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, flipping occasionally, until lightly blackened.
Boil beets in a pot of water for 20 minutes or until tender. You can also boil them for 30 to 40 minutes.
Pan-fried beets make a great side dish or salad topper. They go well with ranch dressing, feta cheese, Italian dressing, or a creamy mint sauce.
