Things You'll Need:
- Beet greens
- Bowl
- Knife
- Water
- 2-quart kettle
- Melted butter
- Salt & pepper to taste
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Step 1
Pick beet greens when they are 4 to 6 inches tall. Once they grow beyond this size, they become less tender and the long stems become stringy.
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Step 2
Pull the young greens up with the root intact. Shake excess soil from the roots and drop into a bowl, basket or even a plastic bag.
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Step 3
Clean the beet greens by removing any weeds or grass you may have picked with them.
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Step 4
Inspect the leaves for any insects or insect damage. Discard any discolored or malformed leaves. White or pale areas on leaves that appear to be a bit puffy may indicate that an insect has burrowed under the surface of the leaf. Remove the leaf and discard.
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Step 5
Cut the small hair roots off of the tiny beet on the end. Trim the beet root, but do not cut into the beet itself. This will cause the red color of the beet to drain off in cooking water. Then the pale beets will lack flavor.
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Step 6
Wash beet greens under cold running water to remove any remaining soil or insects.
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Step 7
Fill a 2-quart kettle with with beet greens and cover with water. Beet greens shrink when cooked. A large kettle filled with greens will make 3 to 4 cups of cooked greens.
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Step 8
Boil until the greens and the tiny beets are tender.
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Step 9
Strain and serve with melted butter and salt and pepper to taste.
