How to Buy, Store, and Cook Beets, In Season In November (2024)

FAQs

Are beets in season yet? ›

The peak season for beets is generally mid-summer through late fall — but they can be cold stored (like apples) or heavily mulched and so, in most regions, are readily available through the winter.

Fresh beets are in stores year-round, but the peak season is June to October. Look for beets that are smooth, hard, and round with a deep red or yellow color. Avoid buying beets with soft moist spots or beets that are shriveled.

There are two ways to buy fresh beets: in bunches, with the greens still attached, and in bulk, with the greens already trimmed away. And the ones with the greens attached are always preferable.

Beets are available year-round, but winter is the prime time for baby beets, which are sweeter and more tender than mature ones. Beets that are small or medium-size are more tender than large ones. They should be heavy for their size and firm, without any nicks or cuts and smooth, firm roots.

For a fall harvest, sow beet seeds from mid-summer through early fall, starting about 4 to 6 weeks before your first fall frost. Winter crops are a definite possibility in Zone 9 and warmer. Plant beets in early to late fall for a winter harvest.

Beetroot is a root vegetable that is typically in season in the UK from late spring to early autumn, with peak season typically falling in the summer months of June through August. However, it can also be available throughout the year in supermarkets, as they are often imported from other countries.

Store beets in a plastic bag in the refrigerator at or below 41 °F for 7 to 10 days. Beets may be frozen for up to ten months. For best quality and nutritive value, preserve only what your family can consume in 12 months. Select deep, uniformly red, tender, young beets, no more than 3 inches across.

Can You Freeze Beets? Raw beets are prone to sogginess when frozen and thawed, so it's best to cook the beets first if you plan on freezing them. To freeze beets, we suggest boiling them for around 25 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a knife, then transferring them to an ice-water bath to cool.

Fresh beets are firm, so if they start to feel soft, use them asap or toss them. Soft beets won't cook up to the best texture, but if you find yourself with a bunch of soft beets that don't show any other signs of spoilage, consider pickling them.

You can use cooked beets in salads, to make hummus or to blend into smoothies. They can be diced for slaw, quartered for a grain bowl or mashed to make a dip or spread. Their thick and chewy texture is even great in a galette or quesadilla.

What are the best tasting beets? ›

Avalanche beets are amongst the sweetest of the beet varieties I've seen at the farmers market. They are not as earthy as your standard red beet either, so these might be the perfect beets for picky eaters. If you don't like how red beets stain your hands and your cutting boards, avalanche beets are for you.

Scrub the whole, unpeeled beets and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil or coat in butter, then roast at 400°F for 45–60 minutes until tender. Roasting is a low-moisture method that caramelizes sugars and helps beets retain more nutrients compared to boiling.

While beets can typically be found any time of the year, they're typically at their peak during fall and winter, when you can find the roots with their leaves still attached. Those leaves can be used as an indicator of freshness. Look for produce without any blemishes on the skin.

With a the loss of a canning facility for growers to supply their produce to, there is simply less beetroot being grown. "Over time the only market left for beetroot growers is the fresh market," he said.

While beets can be found at your local supermarket all throughout the year, keep in mind, they are at their best during peak season when they're harvested between late spring and early winter, per Food Network.

The vegetable is a biennial, which means they flower and seed in their second year of growth, but beets are typically grown as an annual. This vegetable's growing seasons are early spring to early to early summer or late summer to late fall, as it prefers cooler weather.

A spokesperson for Edgell said they were also expecting supplies to increase after processing the 2024 harvest. “Producers who source their beetroot from New Zealand saw their crops severely impacted by the 2023 New Zealand floods, which led to a shortage across Australia,” the company told Guardian Australia.

Did you leave a beet in the ground too long? Also not a problem. Roots that have been left in the ground too long tend to become tough, but that doesn't mean the beet isn't salvageable. Just give it a nice bath in olive oil and salt, and bake it low and slow in the oven—that's my favorite way to eat beets anyway.

Seasons/Availability

Gold beets are available year-round, with a peak season in the spring.