Beet Varieties

[Artichoke]

I am working with a caterer on a menu and one of the items I wanted was various small bowls of simple items on the tables, roasted beets tossed with fresh mint, roasted, baby artichokes, etc. The caterer wanted to use candy stripe beets and I was just curious about their sweetness versus other varieties. I am assuming like most fruits and vegetables, certain types are better in flavor than others. I have had candy stripes before, but not recently enough to recall their taste.

What is your favorite beet variety?

[chardgirl]

Here's a report from a farmers market customer:

beets roasted with just olive oil, S & P:

red ones were more dense, earthier taste

pink ones were sweeter; offered a better contrast with the salt

We are also growing the gold beets and some new-to-us white beets: they are both slightly mellower in flavor than the red. I continue to enjoy the red beets because I LOVE the deep red color, and they all 4 taste like BEETS to me: but the (many) chefs we sell to go mostly for the gold beets, with the red and chioggia (what you call Candy Stripe) are close seconds.

cg

three types of beets: gold, red and white

[Artichoke]

Here's a report from a farmers market customer:

beets roasted with just olive oil, S & P:

red ones were more dense, earthier taste

pink ones were sweeter; offered a better contrast with the salt

We are also growing the gold beets and some new-to-us white beets: they are both slightly mellower in flavor than the red. I continue to enjoy the red beets because I LOVE the deep red color, and they all 4 taste like BEETS to me: but the (many) chefs we sell to go mostly for the gold beets, with the red and chioggia (what you call Candy Stripe) are close seconds.

cg

three types of beets: gold, red and white

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Thanks chardgirl, nice picture, the greens look great on those. I agree with you on the deep red color, it looks particularly nice when tossed with fresh mint leaves.

[rlibkind]

The best beets I get are red, but not the normal bulbous shape. Instead, they are cylindrical, about an inch in diameter and four or five inches long. Don't know the variety name, but they are sweeter than any other beet of any other color I've ever had. I get them in the spring from Benuel Kaufman's stand at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, but I can't help but believe other farm stands might have them.

Generally I prefer the taste of red beets to golden and stripped varieties, but the different colors adds nice visual variety.

[russ parsons]

in my experience, the differences in sweetness have more to do with farming than with variety, though in general i think the red beets tend to be earthier while the vari-colored (yellow, pink, chioggia) tend to be somewhat lighter in flavor, so the sweetness stands out more.

[Andrea Nguyen]

I live in Northern California and we have farm-fresh beets in summer, fall, and winter. Russ is right -- it depends on the farmer and the farm. You don't want gnarly, mishappened ones that look like they've struggled too much. Red ones generally have a more intense, complex flavor than yellow or Chioggia (stripe pink) ones. White beets are sugary sweet. Choose medium size beets have better flavor than baby or large ones.

If you roast beets in a covered pan with a bit of water, the flavors will be much sweeter than if you boil them. Once cooked (pierce a knife in to test), let the beets cool, slip off the skins, cut the beets in wedges (or whatever size pieces you want) and toss them in a touch of vinegar and salt to brighten up their flavor. Store them in the fridge for up to a week.

Andrea

[russ parsons]

i agree with andrea about roasting. another way to do it is to wrap them in a double layer of aluminum foil, seal tightly, then put on a jellyroll pan in a 400-degree oven. it'll take about an hour. they're done when they can be pierced easily with a knife. don't peel beforehand or trim too close, or they'll leach pigment. after cooking, the peel will slip off with your fingers.

Edited July 25, 2006 by russ parsons (log)

[chardgirl]

The best beets I get are red, but not the normal bulbous shape. Instead, they are cylindrical, about an inch in diameter and four or five inches long. Don't know the variety name, but they are sweeter than any other beet of any other color I've ever had. I get them in the spring from Benuel Kaufman's stand at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, but I can't help but believe other farm stands might have them.

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We grew Danish Carrot Beets for 2 years and loved them: but they were a hard sell even to the chefs because they were "too different", so I think Andy gave up.

A photo (They are called 'Carrot' beets because of their shape.)

ps Hello to Andrea!

cg

[BarbaraY]

I have been getting some very sweet, tasty little red beets from the Farmer's Market. I haven't seen any Chioggas yet But am very fond of them, too.

I don't really care for the white ones as I find them lacking the nice beety, earthy flavor.

[Artichoke]

I ate at a restaurant last night and ordered a side dish of beets that were roasted and dressed simply with a little olive oil and sea salt. There were small chioggia's, small golden beets and red. Tasting them each side by side, I found the gold and red to be definitively sweeter than the chioggia's. As has been mentioned previously, the reds were also earthier in flavor.

[russ parsons]

but the chioggia's are so pretty! (for ag freaks: that bullseye striping is caused by alternating vascular material, which is red, and the material that stores the sugar, which is white).

[Pontormo]

but the chioggia's are so pretty! (for ag freaks: that bullseye striping is caused by alternating vascular material, which is red, and the material that stores the sugar, which is white).

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Since I'm not a vegetarian, I've been at a loss when in comes to finding the appropriate terminology.

I'm an ag freak!

P.S. Chardgirl, those carrot beets look wonderful!!! Didn't they sell at the farmers market? If chefs were reluctant to exploit the unusual shape, so be it. However, I'd say there's a practical dimension: you don't have to slip off as many skins when slicing them into rounds for a salad or garnish.

Edited July 27, 2006 by Pontormo (log)

[nhconner]

The best beets I get are red, but not the normal bulbous shape. Instead, they are cylindrical, about an inch in diameter and four or five inches long. Don't know the variety name, but they are sweeter than any other beet of any other color I've ever had. I get them in the spring from Benuel Kaufman's stand at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market, but I can't help but believe other farm stands might have them.

Generally I prefer the taste of red beets to golden and stripped varieties, but the different colors adds nice visual variety.

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Russ this is a great no frills explination that answers the posts question. I find the same to be true. I love most red beets cooked steamed, boiled, pan fried, rosted, or baked in a salt crust, all the same. The others fare best as a salad couse or mixed together as a dish. Most of the time that is.

Nate

[Qwerty]

I don't think you'd need to add water to roast or steam the beets, just toss in salt, pepper, oil. Smash up some garlic and add some thyme sprigs if you want.

Roast in aluminum foil, with a layer of parchment between the beets and foil (don't want the beets picking up a metallic taste).

They are good trimmed, peeled and cut in half or quartered, mixed with a nice salt and oil and vinegar.

Some people dress them up with a vinaigrette or goat cheese, ricotta, or something of that type, depends on your taste.