To beet or not to beet?

[Morticia]

Saw some cute ideas for Valentine's day for heart shaped beets. I'd use them as a garnish.
Of course, I'm pretty sure I have never eaten a beet in my life. How do you cook them? Can they be eaten raw if sliced very thin?

 

[JimBoone]

Could you use sliced pickled beets? Jar from the grocery.

 

[Generic]

No, you don't eat them raw, even if sliced paper thin. You can either boil them or bake them, but baking them is easier and cleaner. About an hour, and then test them with a fork for tenderness. You can serve warm or cold. Sweet, but add a little salt to bring out more flavour, if they are dull

 

[MidwestBB]

Cooked beets make me about want to lose my lunch. Can't stand them and I am not a picky eater. One of the few things I refuse to eat.

But we make our own pickled beets and they are really good. Here is the recipe we use:
Pickled Beet Recipe (6 pints)
• 3 quarts cooked beets, peeled
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 3 ½ cups vinegar (check the label you need 4 to 6 % acidity which is standard pickling vinegar)
• 1 ½ cups distilled or filtered water
Instructions:
1. Wash and drain your beets. Leave 2 inches of stems and the large tap roots on the beet.
2. Cover with boiling water and cook until tender.
3. Let them drain until just cool enough to handle, then chop them into pickled beet sized pieces, or slices if you prefer.
4. Combine the remaining ingredients and add to the beets in a large pot over low heat.
5. Simmer 15 minutes.
6. In the meantime, prepare your jars and lids by boiling them to sterilize.
7. Pack peeled and trimmed beets into hot jars, leaving ¼-inch head space.
8. Pour hot pickling liquid over the tops of the beets in each jar.
9. Adjust your lids.
10. Process 30 minutes in boiling water canner.
Shelf Life of This Pickled Beet Recipe
Store jars in a cool, dark place and let set for 6-8 weeks before opening.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Or, skip the beets and use fruit. I use a heart shaped cookie cutter. Sometimes I use it on strawberry halves.
I also use it on watermelon.
Once I used it on watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew and served them in a big bowl. They looked like the candy word hearts.

 

[gillumhouse]

I like beet - cooked or pickled. I always save the pickled beet juice to make pickled eggs (hard-boiled eggs shelled and left in the pickle juice for at least a week). Yummy!

 

[Northern Dreamer]

I like to cube them and roast them. Works well in a hash type dish!
Cubed beets, cubed sweet potatoes or butternut squash, kielbasa cut in slices, season and roast, serve with an egg or two! Mmmmm!

 

[notAgrandma]

No, you don't eat them raw, even if sliced paper thin. You can either boil them or bake them, but baking them is easier and cleaner. About an hour, and then test them with a fork for tenderness. You can serve warm or cold. Sweet, but add a little salt to bring out more flavour, if they are dull.

I've had them raw in salads, but the beets are usually shaved in spirals. Delicious! I think if the beets are sliced paper-thin, guests who like beets would like them.
If you're only going to use them as a garnish, I would thinly slice them & just use them raw. If you'd like to make them part of the dish, then I suppose I'd go through the trouble of pickling them. I personally hate pickled beets and only like them roasted. Beets are one of those veggies that folks either love or hate.

 

[user 26]

I actually like a little pickled beet from a salad bar. but ... what breakfast food would they go with???

 

[Country Girl]

I love pickled beets, but maybe not for breakfast.

 

[Morticia]

I actually like a little pickled beet from a salad bar. but ... what breakfast food would they go with???.

I actually like a little pickled beet from a salad bar. but ... what breakfast food would they go with???

I was going to make a vegetable tart and put that on top for a pop of color. Valentine's day.

 

[horobo]

If you're open to baking how about a red velvet cake?