[Goosegirl]

After absolutely hating beetroot all my life, I was converted by some baby ones in a salad where I didn't know what I was eating, so grew some early baby-type ones on this year which my OH cooked and bottled. We had the first helping last night and - OMG!! They cut like butter and were absolutely delicious.  Good job as my later sowing has produced goodness knows how many plants. All I did was to make a little drill and sowed them as thin as I could, but they all seemed to come up so had to do a bit of thinning-out. Anyone else had success with them this year?

[LottyLouis]

Ah ha - welcome to the real world. Where have you been?
You say OH bottled them? Do you mean - proper pickled? Yummy!   

[GrannieAnnie]

I'm not a great lover of beetroot either, no matter how small they are! but I am going to try beetroot chutney this afternoon, maybe I will like that.

It's awkward for me, as OH told me last year that after pickling his beetroot for years, he isn't keen on it!  prefers it plain boiled, which of course doesn't last very long.  So, after advice from a friend on here, I am trying them in the fridge, uncooked, and I store my carrots for use in there in a plastic bag with a bit of kitchen towel in it.  Carrots last for several weeks like that.

And the strange looking shaped ones which I've got will go into the chutney which another friend on here suggested! Hopefully I can then eat some, instead of pickling the excess and giving them away!   

[rosiecider]

oh my mouth is watering, i like my beetroot boiled cut up into little cubes and in black currant jelly yummy

[Mrs Bee]

Beetroot is also delicious lightly boiled then roasted with garlic, oil and a little vinegar to go with a roast dinner.

You can also add a few cubes to red cabbage cooked with red onions in a little butter, then add red cabbage, crushed garlic, black pepper a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, and salt cook until nearly tender and add some cubes of cooked beetroot towards the end of cooking. Chuck in a handful of blackberries and adjust seasoning.

It also goes very well with crème fraiche or soured cream, dill, capers, gherkins, onions, vinegar, horseradish and walnut oil. Not all together tho'. But a selection of these with beetroot and a little vinegar makes a good salad to eat with smoked fish/ oily fish and rye bread or with goats cheese.

And cooked grated and added to chocolate cake.

And it is beneficial for bringing down blood pressure.

[simonwatson]

My family and I all really like it roasted in the oven with other root veg likfe parsnips and carrots. Shame almost none of mine came up this year

[Gardener and Rabbit]

Love them , but don't grow them any more re flea beetles, beet leaf miners, and blackfly.

[LottyLouis]

It's also utterly fabby when added - pickled or not, but preferably when pickled - to mince for cottage pie or mince & pasta - whatever. Ekes out the meat, adds wondrous colour. A much maligned veggie. 

[Flowertot]

It's also utterly fabby when added - pickled or not, but preferably when pickled - to mince for cottage pie or mince & pasta - whatever. Ekes out the meat, adds wondrous colour. A much maligned veggie. 

Now that's a good idea! Thanks

[mjg000]

My main problem is that they come back from the allotment all mucky and ready to mess up anything they touch.  I boil and then leave them in a little vinegar in the fridge, my daughter always roasts them.  The last couple of posts from lottylouise and Mrs Bee are eye-opening and we will try them all.  Thank you

[GrannieAnnie]

Tried them roasted, he doesn't like them.  Tried beetroot chips, he doesn't like them.  I've been giving the pickled ones away but if even the pickled ones taste okay in the mince LL, I may try that too!  Thanks

By the way, the chutney turned out really nice.  Not only does Brian like it, but I could even eat that!  And discovered that Pennydog likes beetroot too!  She kept hoping I'd drop some on the floor when I was chopping it up!  She ate one beetroot all to herself!   

[3759allen]

i'm still getting through my pickled ones from the masses i had last year.

chutney is the one for me, brilliant.

[cadalot]

Last year I had loads of beetroots, this year not that many at all, was it the weather, the seed who knows but germination rates were about 40% this year. I have put a late sowing in just to see what happens. we opened our last jar from last year a week ago, I'm guessing currently I only have enough for a couple of jars   

[Growster...]

Beetroot's great with a cheese and egg salad too!

Has anyone cooked one in a microwave, and if so, for how long? Boiling a biggun takes ages...

[Goosegirl]

Ah ha - welcome to the real world. Where have you been?
You say OH bottled them? Do you mean - proper pickled? Yummy!   

Proper pickled as far as I know. Love the recipes for them on here!