How Does Cooking a Beet Change Its Flavor?

Raw Beets

Beets are a root vegetable. Raw beets are much harder than cooked beets and give a little crunch. When you serve them raw you have to remove both ends, as well as peel the skin off of the beet. You can slice the beet up or you can put your beet through the grater to sprinkle on salad. By leaving the beet raw you get its original flavor.

Beets Cooked Skin On

Cooking beets can be done one of two ways. You can leave the skin on or take it off. If you leave the skin on you are guaranteed to keep most of the original flavor. So the beet will taste almost exactly like it does raw, but the texture will be different--it will be much softer. Cooking a beet with the skin on is generally the preferred method.

Beets Cooked Skin Off

Taking the skin off of the beets before cooking can be done. It does allow some of the beet's flavor to leak out, making the beet more bland. To cook the beets without the skin you must cut both ends off of the beet and then peel the skin. This is generally not the preferred method; individuals may choose this method sometimes because they don't want to remove the skin after the beet has been cooked when it is hot.

Sauteed With Seasoning

Cook beets in a variety of seasonings to enhance the beets' flavor and add some blended new flavors. Cut the roots and stems off of the beets and peel. Slice and place in to a pan with some extra virgin olive oil and water, and saute. Add spices, such as a combination of allspice, garlic, bay leaves, chives, dill weed, mustard seed, cloves, thyme or citrus.