Homemade Sugar Beets
The sugar beet, Beta vulgaris, is a type of beet grown for commercial sugar production because the root contains high concentrations of sucrose. Commonly, however, people refer to a vinegar sugar "pickled" beet dish as "sugar beets" and there are many easy and delicious recipes available to make them. Most recipes call for beets that have been baked, boiled, or purchased previously cooked in jars or cans. Does this Spark an idea?
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Harvard Beets
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Perhaps the most common of the sugar beets recipes are "Harvard beets." The origin of the name is steeped in legend, but likely came from the deep red color of the beet dish as Harvard's school color is crimson. These beets are cooked with vinegar, corn starch or flour, sugar, and water until they reach a pickled texture. They are typically served warm.
Milky Sugar Beets
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Steeping uncooked sugar beets in milk with butter and spices like cinnamon is another way to take advantage of the especially sweet flavor of these roots vegetables. When mashed, these milky beets can be served as a side dish similar to sweet potatoes.
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Sugar-free Sugar Beets
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While the sugar content of beets is high, some people look for ways to enjoy old familiar recipes without adding additional sugar. Many recipes for sugar beets are available using sugar substitutes such as sucralose (commonly known as Splenda) or aspartame (commonly known as Equal).
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit early red beets and young beet leaves image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
