Boiling beets requires little skill and a bit of knowledge. This is a simple guide on how to boil beets on the stovetop the proper way. Cooked correctly, this healthy and nutritious red root vegetable will become an instant hit for making tasty healthy beet salad, beetroot soup, and delicious hummus.
Wash the beets well under cold running water making sure any dirt gets washed off.
Place the salt, sugar, vinegar, and water in a pot along with the beets. Make sure the pot is large enough so the beets are comfortably and completely covered with water. As the liquid evaporates you will have to add a bit more if the beets become exposed.
Simmer the beets just below a rolling boil for about 20 minutes if you are using baby beets or up to 1 hour for large beets. The beets I cooked were medium to large size and took 50 minutes to cook. Test the doneness with a toothpick or sharp knife. The beets are cooked when the toothpick or knife can be inserted without much resistance and comes out easily when removed.
If you have the time to wait then let the boiled beets cool down in the liquid before simply rubbing off the skins wearing a pair of gloves if you don't want red-stained hands. Otherwise, simply remove the beets from the cooking liquid and rub of the skins under cold running water.
You can now use the beets in a wide variety of dishes, store for later use, or simply season with a bit of good olive oil, freshly cracked black pepper and a touch of flakey sea salt to enjoy straight away.
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Notes
If the beets start getting exposed to air as the water evaporates, simply add more water.
Once cooled you can store the beets sealed airtight in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Can be frozen but will lose a bit of its texture. Not advised if you want to keep the texture intact. Soup soups and grated in a salad it's fine.