Last updated on August 12th, 2013
I’M SEEING LOTS OF RED THESE DAYS. Why? Well, first because I’m obsessed with the current season of HBO’s “True Blood.” And next, because I’m busy harvesting and preserving my home-grown beets. Beets, I can assure you, are a breeze to freeze.
Beets, or Beta vulgaris, come in lots of interesting shades. There’s white ‘Albino,’ white-striped-red ‘Chioggia,’ and creamy-yellow ‘Gold.’ I happen to favor ‘Detroit Dark Red,’ because it offers an earthy taste and aroma, along with blood-red coloring. You might say it’s a vampiric beet.
You can harvest beets about 55 days after planting from seed. However, I let mine grow for about 70 days, or until they reach baseball size, as pictured above.
To preserve the roots, first trim off leaves (leaves can be blanched and frozen). Keep at least a half-inch of the leaf-stems attached, however, or the beautiful color will bleed-out during cooking.
Should your beets bleed and attract a vampire to your kitchen, you’d better hope his name is Bill Compton. Bill has tremendous respect for mortals. He’s content to drink “True Blood,” a synthetic version of the real stuff. The drink, which is available in various blood types (like O-Positive), permits vampires to live in harmony with humans.
Are you rolling your eyes right about now? I thought so.
Do not remove the “tail” at the end of the bulb.
Next, scrub the beets under running water. I scrub mine not with a veggie-brush, but with a wash-cloth.
Set the scrubbed beets in a big pot of water; bring the water to a boil over high heat. Then cover the pot and lower the heat. Simmer the beets until tender — about 20 minutes for small roots, and 45 minutes to an hour for large ones.
When are the beets done? When they can be stabbed with a wooden stake. Or, when they can be easily pierced with a fork.
Plunge the cooked roots into a big bowl of ice water for a few minutes, or at least until they are cool enough to handle. The ice water will loosen the skin on your beets.
Trim both ends with a knife, and then peel the beets. Simply rub your hands over them, and the skins will slip right off.
How you cut up the beets is entirely up to you. Just be sure to cut them, as whole roots — in my experience, anyway — do not freeze well.
I happen to think sliced beets look pretty on a plate, so that is how I cut mine. The slices are 1/8-inch thick.
Now take plastic freezer bags — the one-quart size is useful for single servings — and label them as to content and date. Don’t wait until after you’ve filled the bags to mark them — unless you like to write on bumpy surfaces.
Fill the bags with beets.
To avoid freezer-burn, expel air from each bag. An electronic vacuum-sealing device is useful here. But if you lack such a gadget, just do what I do, and insert a drinking straw at one end of the bag. Seal the bag all the way up to the straw. Then suck on the straw with all your might, remove the straw, and quickly seal the tiny opening.
Beets, when cooked, chilled, and properly sealed, will keep in the freezer for up to one year.
And what to do about your blood-spattered cutting board? Well, you could scrub it with soap-embedded steel wool. That is, if you want to waste your time.
A better plan is to rinse off the little beet-bits. Then set the board slanted downward in your kitchen sink. Slowly pour over the board one cup of hot water combined with a splash (2 tablespoons) of liquid bleach, and voila! your board will show no trace of red.
Frozen beets are great to have on hand. When needed as a side dish, just boil them briefly, and then season them to taste. Remember, they’re already cooked!
Here’s a copy-and-paste version of the above freezing-procedure, which contains no talk of vampires whatsoever:
How I Freeze Beets
Kevin Lee Jacobs, A Garden for the House
1. Trim all but 1/2-inch of leaf-stems from beets; scrub beets clean under running water.
2. Set beets in a big pot, then add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and let the beets simmer until tender — about 20 minutes for small roots, and 45 minutes to an hour for large roots. Beets are sufficiently cooked when they can be pierced with a fork.
3. Plunge the beets in a big bowl of ice water for about 10 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle.
4. Slice off ends of beets. Then peel them, by simply rubbing your hands against each beet.
5. According to preference, either slice or dice the beets. Do not leave them whole. Whole beets, in my experience, do not freeze well.
6. Label zip-lock-type freezer bags as to content and date. Then fill the bags with beets. I like to fill quart-size bags as single servings.
7. To avoid freezer-burn, expel air from bags with a vacuum sealer. Or, insert a straw at the end of a bag; seal up to the straw. Suck the air out, remove the straw, and then seal the tiny opening.
8. Freeze for up to one year.
In the comments field below, I hope you’ll tell me whether or not you planted beets this year. And if you don’t like beets, perhaps you can tell me which vamp you favor most on the current season of “True Blood.” Is it kind Bill? Hot but evil Eric? Sweet Jessica? Or Tara, who only recently acquired a set of fangs?
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Related Posts:
How I Freeze Zucchini
How to Harvest, Cure, and Store Onions
How I Freeze Peaches
Laura W @ HV Garden Journal says
My favorite character is always Jason Stackhouse – an innocent disaster! Though I was almost swayed to Sam Merlotte when I recently noticed mounted staghorn ferns on the outside of his trailer on a recent episode.
My favorite beet is ‘Bull’s Blood.’
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Laura W – Ha! Seems you watch films the way I do — always with an eye on plants! I saw ‘Bull’s Blood’ at Seed Savers Exchange…might order it for next year.
beetree says
Mmmm…beets! I planted this year, but I’m not sure when to harvest (I’ll be looking that up next!). I’m hoping that the dirt where I planted my beets and carrots hasn’t turned to rock (we have California clay-type) so I can get my prizes out unspoiled. 🙂 Thanks for the freezer tip. I also loooove to roast beets with sweet potatoes and onions, drizzled with olive oil, and finished with some salt and pepper. So good!
Mary says
Hi Kevin–
I really enjoy your posts! I have a love-hate relationship with just plain beets, but really go for pickled beets, so that’s what I usually do with early ones. I put the later, storage beets in a plastic bucket, layered in just barely damp maple leave and keep in the cellar with the carrots, potatoes, etc. They keep so well! Last fall, when cleaning out the buckets in preparation for refilling them, I dumped a pile of leaves out on to the compost and out rolled 2 softball size beets. They were still as hard as the day I put them in there! And that is after being in the cellar for almost an entire year, including the summer!
Cary Bradley says
Thanks Kevin for the pink tutorial ;). Just had our first (Chioggia) and diced and caramelized and finished with garlic, really great! My other favorite blogger Farmgirl Susan taught me that way. (I told her about you recently; you would really like each other, I think.) This is my first year my beets have ‘beeted up.’ Usually they stay bulbless and I just snatch and enjoy the tops. I used to get bags of beet greens from the Farmer’s Market, in the days before folks knew how great the tops are as a green. Now you’ve taught me how to freeze the greens and I am yearround veggie dense. Hooray for Beets! Hooray for You!
stamperitis says
Love beets but they don’t always get a bulb. This year seems to be one of those years. 🙁 However, the farmers market has three varieties. I must say I still enjoy Detroit Reds the best.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
beetree – Roasted beets are fab. Can’t get enough of them.
Mary – I’ve heard of storing beets in a bucket of sand — but never in a bucket of maple leaves. Sounds like a grand idea, and one I should attempt with my autumn beet-harvest.
Cary – “Diced and caramelized and finished with garlic”….Mmmmmm! And I will have to visit Farmgirl Susan.
stamperitis – Nice to meet you. I’m with you on Detroit Reds.
Bill Watson says
I froze beets for the first time last year. Am still enjoying them.
At tip for slicing the cooked beets: Use a hard-boiled egg slicer. Perfect slices!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Bill Watson – Egg-slicer: Good tip!
Martha Robinson says
Dear Kevin,
I’m learning so much from you! I look forward to your newsletter every week, and save them all for future pleasure and reference. I really appreciate the “long version” with photos, as well as the “condensed version” of your recipes. You make my day.
Martha Robinson
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
And you, Martha, just made MY day!
Beth says
I roasted my beets this year. Terrific taste and they kept their color. Cut off tops and tap and hairy roots, put them in foil pouch with evoo sprinkled on them. Roast for two hours, very easy to peel, then slice. They are so so sweet. Much sweeter than boiling….
Laurie says
I love your newsletter and web site Kevin. I don’t particularly like beets though. But these pictures you have almost have changed my mind. They’re gorgeous! What I’d really like to ask you is about the paint (?) color of your arbor behind your beets. Could you tell me about how to get that color going at my Garden of Hope? Thank you for all you do!
Janet says
Can you freeze them raw? If you just want to use them for juicing???
KimH says
Im with you.. I prefer Detroit Dark Red beets… I dont remember them being so easy to freeze though.. I have some that need taken care of now so thanks for the timely post.
Mary says
Delighted I finally have something to contribute to this fabulous site.
Roasted beets are wonderful and very easy. Bake in two layers of alum. foil, seal well,keeps all the juices in. Wrap beets individually. Bake in 400 oven as long as you would bake a potato of the same size. Absolutely gorgeous in a salad.
Love this site Kevin.
Rita Galloway says
However, tempted you are to use blood and food in the same paragraph, please put me a warning sign before you start the article. It makes me queasy and I love beets. Planted some but they have been small. Maybe I should wait longer to harvest. Still love your blog despite the “blood” wording.
Karyn Clark says
Loved the article on beets. We are getting ready to plant our second crop this year, pickled the first planting. This new harvest I’m going to try some roasted, may try keeping some over winter in a bucket also. I wonder, do you wash the dirt off them when you store them like that? I know with sweet potatoes you leave the dirt on them and wash when you are ready to cook them to make them last longer. BTW I love True Blood, I don’t get HBO but order the dvd set each season as it is released, have also read every book that Charlaine Harris has written on the series . I would have to say that Bill Compton is my fave vamp!! Love getting your blog!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Janet – You can certainly freeze beet juice. But I would not freeze whole beets in their raw state.
Laurie – The arbor pictured up top is in my Herb Garden. It is made of unpainted cedar. After being exposed to the elements — rain, sleet, snow, and sun — the wood has developed a beautiful silver hue.
Mary – I love roasted beets, too. Have you tried freezing the beets after roasting them?
Rita – Didn’t mean to startle you!
Karyn – I’d brush off any clinging dirt from the beets before storing them in a bucket of sand or leaves. But I would not wash them first. Nice to meet another TB fan!
Leslie says
Kevin; My son has a smoker, and I grew the beets, he and his wife smoked them. They are absolutely delicious! Peel after smoking….
I SO enjoy your website and your weekly newsletters. They are SO informative! I am just getting back into gardening after many years of raising children and animals. I LOVE my raised beds with composted alpaca and goat manure. Things grow extremely well in them.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Leslie – I can only imagine how utterly delicious smoked beets must be. So glad you enjoy A Garden for the House.
Deb Sanford says
Came across your website during a search on how to freeze fresh beets and just wanted to let you know that using a wash cloth instead of a veggie brush works so much better! Thank you so much!!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Deb Sanford – Nice to you meet you.
Pat Kess says
I eat both the skin and the leaves, Nutritious and good!!
Jody says
I love to saute beets with a bit of butter and add a tablespoon of lemon juice (to taste) and then toss in chopped up candied ginger. The ginger and lemon play off each other nicely and the sugar and butter combine to make a bit of a glaze. I can eat a plate full! Thanks for tip on freezing, I just finished cooking up the last of my garden!
Betty Davidson says
Thank you Kevin for the info on how to freeze Beets. I have harvested some of my beets and still have some in the ground to harvest. Did not know how to cook them . I live in Arizona . Very sandy soil, but my Detroit Reds grew very nice this year. Baseball size. I know I am going to enjoy them after being frozen. This is my first year on having a garden and I am enjoying it so much. I am going to try to roast some with the potatoes and onion with Olive oil . Sounds Delicious. I am looking forward to reading your articles about other garden vegetables. Thank you so much.
Cindy says
I have adopted nieces and a nephew from Russia and they love borscht soup made with beets. The beets are boiled in the soup much like potatos are in potato soup. Any suggestions on how I can freeze beets and use them for soup?
Thank you so much for this informative website. I am learning something new all the time!
Christy says
Great information on an easy way to store beets! Thanks! Try peeling and slicing the larger FRESH ones to grill. Coat with olive or grapeseed oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper! FABULOUS!
Carolyn Jones says
Thank you so much for posting this interesting article on freezing beets. I am thoroughly addicted to beets in any form. Either pickling them or juicing them. I wanted to freeze them to be able to juice regularly. They are plentiful at harvest time, but sometimes during the year difficult to find. Last year I pickled 50 + lbs. of beets for yearly consumption and they were delicious. I have since began juicing them and just love them in a smoothie. So good. Thank you again!
Roseann says
Hi Kevin,
I came across your website when doing a search on how long beets would last in the freezer. Your preparation method is exactly how my mom taught me, so I got that down, but I was alarmed when I read that whole beets do not freeze well! I just vacuum sealed my boiled and peeled beets but never sliced them! Should I open each vacuum sealed pack and slice them up before they go into the freezer??
I love beets and want to enjoy them for as long as I can so if I have to open and slice, I will!!
Thank you!
Sharyn says
Hi Kevin,
My husband loves the Detroit red beets and has quite a bunch in the garden. We live in north-western Ontario in Canada and our growing season is shorter. I don’t want them to go to waste so I am going to pull them all today and try it your way. If the vacuum packed beets can stay unspoiled for a year in the freezer, all the better. I am also going to try Bill Watsons trick using the egg slicer. I don’t have a wooden cutting board, all heavy plastic. Will your cleaning method work on them?
Thanks for the great tip and wish me luck (I’m not that great of a cook
Karen says
I love your post, not only because I now know I can just freeze my beets rather than canning them, but also because of your True Blood references throughout your explanation! I am of Russian descent so I grew up on beets and love them, especially in borscht and beet salad (pickles, dill, potatoes, vinegar, peas, beets)!
I have always been a huge Eric fan after he has his hair cut after the first season 🙂 I just finished season 6….love the Sookie Stackhouse Novels too!!
Thanks for the fun intro to freezing beets!
Jan Thomas says
I have a large crop of beets this year and was curious about freezing them. Afriend told me to just blanch beets for just a few minutes so the skins will slip off after put into ice water.is that enough cooking time? Why would they have to be fully cooked? I’ve done corn on the cob the same way and just seal-a-mealed them but I don’t want to waste or get sick if they’re not fully cooked:-) thanks for all the recipes on your blog hope to hear an answer soon cause I need to pull up my beets and get them raken care of.
Sue Schroeder says
Beets are awesome!!!! This is only my 2nd year of growing beets. They are so easy to grow. I live in NW Wisconsin & my beets grow to baseball-size. I juice them with carrots, a whole lemon, pineapple, & greens during the growing season. Then I freeze the rest for roasting with sweet potatoes & onion as a previous post mentioned. Last year I froze them by first baking them in foil with a little evoo. That worked fine, but I think I’ll try your boiling method this year, then decide which way I like best. I’m also going to freeze the beet greens this year to use in green drinks. I froze 18 qts. of kale last week, so with my frozen beet greens too, I should be set for greens in my green drinks thru this winter. Now off to the garden to dig up those beets!
Sheryl Graves says
My, what a fun website and commenting crowd! I, too, was just looking for a way to preserve the rest of my beets (here in Vermont we have had a couple of light frosts, but not enough to prevent me from removing the rest of my beets and carrots from the ground). I tried storing in sand in the basement one year (couldn’t get the moisture balance right and they dried out) and keeping them in the ground, covered with 6″ of straw (that worked for a while, but ultimately the ground froze like iron…poor beets…). So, this year, it’s time to freeze the greens and then the beets – it sounds so simple. (And I am more of a zombie girl than a vampire chick…but I haven’t seen “True Blood”…)
Thanks for all the great tips!
Christine Fisher says
Thank you. I haven’t frozen them before but will try this method. When I cook it normally I peel and slice them raw and cook in equal amounts of vinegar and water with some sugar and seasoning. Could you do it that way and and freeze them in liquid?
Kate says
Very interesting and thank you for sharing! You have very nice penmanship!
Walter says
I haven’t seen True Blood, but I want to thank you for the info ob beets. i love beets no matter how they’re cooked. A couple are spiced beet salad and Harvard Beets (hot). Because of illness i left the beets in the ground longer that I should have. Some of my beets looked more like melons. After I roasted them I tried them and they were still sweet. I found your recipe and now I will freeze some sliced and some cut into chances for Harvard Beets (those beets really should be small whole beets, But I use what I got.
Sarah says
I have never watched True blood but this post just made me chuckle and had good info, Thanks!
Priscilla says
I have been gardening in our clay packed Denver soil for 32 years now, and I now have beautiful black garden soil. We compost most of our kitchen waste and use chemical free grass clippings all summer so the soil stays, is year we took out most of our front yard turf grass for 3 huge raised beds and xeroscape, so I have to beg clippings from neighbors who still pour precious water on Kentucky bluegrass. Our beets are wonderful and numerous this year, not always the case, don’t know why. We ususally just eat beets every supper until they are gone but they are so succesful this year, freezing the excess will be what I am doing today! Thanks for the hints.
James says
Thanks for the confirmed recipe for freezing beets. I’ve been tempted to experiment myself with freezing beets, I usually can them, but canning is so time consuming. I find freezing most of what I used to can, just as good. However the shelf life is less when frozen instead of canned.
I would caution anyone with stainless steel kitchen sinks to avoid using bleach. Bleach will ruin stainless steel.
Good job Kevin.
Aliyah Schick says
Between Kevin and all you delightful commenters I definitely want to plant BEETS next year. Thanks!
Wildchildwandering says
My husband freezes beets, but the texture seems to change a bit. I little too soft, maybe he is over cooking them. He does not slice them, he cuts them into 3/4″ cubes +/-. Not sure why! They do still taste really good though. I personally like them cold or hot with in a salad or plain, most of the time topped with Bleu Cheese dressing 😉
Marjie T. says
When I pull mine, I wash the dirt off with a hose (that resides in the garden) on “jet spray.” I do pretty much the same as Kevin does but there is no need to wash the beets any further. My beets are organic, so no worries about “earthicides” on them.
I have found that simply rinsing the board in plain water with maybe a little scrubbing is fine – any traces of red seem to go away in a day or two.
Mary says
Yes I planted beets this year as usual. I haven’t frozen mine yet this year. We love them cooked with a bit of butter and salt and pepper. Delish! I also pickle them. But…this year I got brave and tried a raw beet salad and I absolutely love it. I am also using them in juicing. Very healthy!! Love your posts, Kevin!
Mary says
I forgot to mention that a friend cooks hers in the crockpot and loves them that way:) I haven’t tried it.
Lynne says
My beets are glorious too! I just have one suggestion. You can clean the board and tools, but your hands may end up looking like you bathed in blood! I use gloves, the kind that are used for dying hair (actually my doctor gave me a pile of exam gloves). They are thin, and inexpensive. A box has many uses in addition to this. I hate getting greasy fingers, so I use one when I have to butter a dish. You can protect yourself from onion fingers by wearing them while preparing raw onions. Etc.
Vicki says
Kevin, thanks for the tip on cleaning the cutting board. Why didn’t I think of that?! And thanks for the reminder to force out as much air s possible before freezing the beets. You have such marvelous ongoing tips on your site. Keep them coming!
Denise T says
Hi Kevin,
I appreciate the humor you weave into your posts because hey, it adds fun into our day.
I try new things every year in my veg garden, This year I am growing golden beets because I don’t want to worry about staining my clothes when I pick, carry and process them. I think they would look fabulous served on a plate with red beets for variety, They seem to taste the same yet a bit milder which I like. The greens are healthy and taste the same cooked.
Elan says
I like to steam my beets rather than boil them … keeps more of the nutrients inside. When they are cold, I like them sliced with raw onion slices and a bit of red wine vinegar.
I also like the pickled beets … but have never made them.
Carolyn says
I agree with the posts that suggest roasting beets. It is the only way I cook them now. The flavor seems more intense and no color or vitamins are lost in the water. Plan to try freezing per your instructions. Thanks again for an interesting post.
Marg Buck says
Kevin I like Detroit reds too. In fact I am boiling some now.
Some will go in the freezer
Elaine ransom says
Im lucky enough to have a “cold room”,fridge temp from November til April or May. I hose my beets off on the lawn, let them dry an hour or two, then I layer them in buckets with newspaper. They keep well into the new year. I cook a five qt pot at a time and freeze the excess short term.
I grow yellow, Detroit, cylinder and winterkeeper also bull’ s blood. The cylinder and winter keepers keep the best,perhaps because of size. I replanted two of the winterkeeper this spring and now am harvesting seeds as winterkeeper seeds can be hard to find.
Like the additional ideas for serving beets, Harvard beets around here are generally diced, by the way.
Pat Mulligan says
Wow! You learn something every day and today it was how to use a straw to expel air from freezer bags. Way to go, Kevin! And I now know how to freeze beets. Thanks.
Julie B. says
Thanks for the tip on cleaning the cutting board, Kevin, as well as the freezing technique.
I didn’t plant beets this year but plan to next. I love them roasted and pickled and, Elan, pickled beets are easy to make (check The Joy of Cooking for a reliable receipe). The key is to give them PLENTY of time to pickle – a day or two isn’t enough, in my book.
Lainey says
It’s easy-peasy to bake beets – and no worries about the colour bleeding.
Trim the head and tail and place on baking sheet or large cake pan. For large beets, cut in half and place the cut side down on baking sheet. Bake till done. Peel. Or, you can peel before baking.
If just doing enough for one meal (and the oven’s already on), peel beets with a potato peeler, dice or slice the beets into a casserole dish. add a tablespoon or so of water and any seasonings you might like, cover and bake along with your meal. You can also drizzle with olive oil or add a pat or two of butter before or after baking.
You can do the same with a package of frozen beets – just pop the frozen beets into a casserole, season and bake till hot.
Maureen P. says
I was holding my breath while reading to make sure I did it right. Just finished mine a couple of days ago. Whew! I did ok. If you have a pressure cooker they are so easy cooked that way. Mine has a rack in bottom and water only comes to rack, so mine aren’t actually in the water. Thanks so much for all the help you give to so many of us. Just finished freezing my kale yesterday with your instructions right there on the counter.
Ardelle says
Yummmm, BEETS! Just froze 15 quart bags of sliced Detroit Red. We love beets. I make several soups: Beet Apple and Beet Raspberry: – a dollop of crème fraiche, a bit of mint – a great way to start a Christmas dinner 🙂 . Balsamic Beet Tapenade – served on toasted crusty bread or baguette. If I have some leftover beets from previous dinner I serve alongside an egg with some feta cheese and avocado, a bit of cayenne for breakfast or whatever meal is next. I am freezing Swiss Chard and kale today. Vegetables are so exciting! Making a casserole with eggplant, tomato and onion slices setting on edge alternately, season with fresh thyme, salt and pepper; bake, then spread with shredded mozzarella cheese and some additional thyme and bake until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Happy cooking and gardening everyone. Love your site Kevin.
Paulina says
Thanks Trubie!
Katherine rossmoore says
Thanks Kevin! I had no idea about all the names of beets. As an avid consumer of foods but not so much a grower, it’s good to know!
Btw, I’m making your tomato pie as soon as we have enough ripe tomatoes!
Bev says
rather than dealing with stains from beets, I prefer to cut them on a metal baking pan and/or on wax paper or something that is disposable. I also use “exam gloves” for jobs where I don’t want my hands stained or stinky.
Dana says
To cook beets (beetroot in Australia), I like to simmer them in water with a splash of cider vinegar and a half dozen cloves.
Sheri Rice says
Hi Kevin- thanks for the perfectly timed story. I’m the only beet eater in the family so I buy them at the farmers market. I came home Saturday with a huge bunch and after making beet salad and sautéing the yummy leaves, froze the extra….which I’ve never done before. I make a diced beet cold salad with crumbled blue cheese, tart apple chunks, toasted pecans and mandarin oranges. I toss with apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper and it’s so good! The rest of the family doesn’t know what they’re missing.
I too prefer the dark red beets…..the gold ones don’t taste as good to me. Just remember to warn anyone new to beets about the curious effect they have on, ah, the next day’s constitutional. The first time I had beets I was in my twenties and the next morning, used the bathroom, everything was deep red, I thought I was dying! Haha
Patti Rafalko says
Hi Kevin, Well once again you have come to my rescue! I followed your easy directions and found myself pleased and amazed!!! Thank you Kevin, I will think of you when we are enjoying our beets over the winter… And dreaming of gardening!!!
Rosemary says
Very helpful, thank you.
We’ve always pickled our beets but I wanted to try freezing some and really wasn’t sure how that worked. Thanks so much
Cynthia says
When i boil beets for freezing , do I need to add any salt to the water?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Cynthia – I’ve never salted the water for beets I intend to freeze. Better to season when you are cooking (or reheating) beets for a meal.
John Weerstra says
Thanks for info. Especially about not trimming the head and tails before cooking. Great idea. My wife thinks beets taste like dirt and and I can’t seem to get her away from that so it my daughter and I enjoy them. The greens on the other hand are enjoyed by all. Nothing goes to waste with beets.
Sheryl says
FYI: now, one year later, I got invited to dinner tonight amd was asked to bring a green salad. I threw some local greens (greenhouse grown at this time of year in Vermont) in a salad bowl along with some goat cheese…and thawed out one of my bags of frozen beets from last fall. Sliced them up and tossed them in the salad with some balsamic vinegar. Perfect! (And yum!)
Gary K says
Thanks Kevin –
Quick question… do I need to do this if I am going to eat the frozen beets within a week or so (I like to ‘peel’, slice, then freeze the beets and add to green healthy smoothies.
Does this cause a problem with the beets nutrition wise etc, if I just slice and freeze, as opposed to blanching first? Just curious
Marlu H. Lewis says
Found your site today. I really enjoyed all the info on the beets. I want to roast some and grill some. Please sign me up for your news letter.
Judy says
I’ve never thought of freezing beets and couldn’t resist reading this, even though I have no immediate plans to freeze beets, because I’m a compulsive over-reader. Just wanted to say I loved the vampire references. Could very easily have been distracting but it is just the perfect balance of helpful instructions and humour. Made me laugh out loud (and now I’m prepared should I ever need to freeze beets, or get vampire blood off my cutting board.)
anita says
Question: after freezing beets can they be thawed and pickled
Karen says
Last year was the first time I froze beets, partly due to the fact that I didn’t know if they would freeze well without being soggy or tasteless. I canned so many pints and quarts of pickled beets that I wanted to try something different. This method works very well. We enjoyed them all winter. They are not soggy at all and have great flavor. I’m cooking my first batch of beets to freeze for this season as I type. I still have a lot of pickled beets left, so not sure if I’m going to do them. If you’ve never cooked beets to freeze, it may seem daunting, but it’s actually pretty easy. It just takes awhile considering the different steps and the time in between, It is so worth it all winter when you can enjoy their beautiful color and flavor this winter. Thanks for the great ideas on how to do this. And also for the humor.
Wendy says
We harvested our beets yesterday and I froze beet greens. Tonight I am freezing the beets, using your instructions… thanks for the help!
marty holmen says
how do you freeze your carrots,didnt find your freezing instruction on your site thanks marty h
Raquel says
Hi ! I have a question, i really enjoy eating them raw shreded in salads. I wounder if i may freeze them after shredding ? And then unfreeze when i want to eat em. Cuzz theyr goingbad. I didnt bought them i got them offered. Só i want to freeze some in order not to waste anything.
Xoxo
Alda says
I planted two varieties this year. The Bull blood and one that has red and white rings like the Target ads. I like the Bull Blood better , but the others look cute on a spring salad. I’m going to wash and process my beets today. It’s raining like crazy so it is an inside work day.
Helen Still says
This is the second time I have grown beetroots but the first-time I am going to freeze them. How long can you keep them if they are picked please.
Carol says
I need to know how to prepare the beets after they are frozen. Can someone help me with this?
myrtle miller says
Apples, beets and carrots are good for lowering cholesterol.
judi Edwards says
Hello Everyone…. YES you can freeze RAW beets… Peel and grate then bag in zip lock freezer bags.
I freeze 4 cups grated, packed beets per bag, hand pressing to expel all the air. We have been doing this for over forty years. Makes the best borscht in the middle of a Canadian snow storm.
Loralee says
Regarding freezing of beets. I want to julienne my beets. Would it be advisable to freeze them raw or cooked then frozen.
JEANETTE says
I recently found out that in Austrilia it is not unusual to find a slice of a beet served on your hamburger. I told this person it sounded good & that I like a slice of green pepper on mine.
So, we both will try something new! I am excited! I also found they do not taste too bad raw; I may
julienne some & try them on my next salad! The way I learned to love them was to cook & slice them with enough juice to cover add vinegar & raw sliced onions cover & put in frig until good & cold ; add lots black pepper & salt to taste!
leslie says
Can you freeze for later pickling?
Diane Hall says
I plant detroit red beets ,They are a very bright deep red and look so good when served. I haven;t ever froze any but I’m going to this year. I make pickled beet which go very fast at my house. And i use fresh beets in my smoothy’s very good….
Colette says
Hi Kevin,
I really like your website. It gives Sunday, my day of rest, a smile and a few laughs. Your tips are very useful. Your recipes are appealing. Your beagle is so lovable. In French, you would say: “elle est croquante.”
Colette
Anne Gregoroff says
I don’t like beets, but I’ve come across a recipe for chocolate cake made with them, so I’m going to give it a try for my sister-in-law’s birthday on Sunday. I’m using beets from her garden and will be freezing the rest for future cakes and for others who do like beets.
Lynn Patterson says
Kevin, GREAT JOB WITH THIS!!! first time I ever did beets and it worked great!!! Also in the Hudson River Valley south of Schuylerville and north of the battlefield…..
Again, great job with direction and pic’s!!!
Emily says
Thanks for the info. My favorite beet is the Cylindra. They are long and slender, so look really different, but are very tasty. You can get the seeds from Baker Creek or Seed Savers.
I also only roast beets, no boiling, you lose all the good nutrients that way. I am certain boiling is the main reason so many don’t like them, because the sweetness is gone.
There shouldn’t be any issues with freezing roasted ones. Though I wouldn’t freeze and pickle (as Leslie asked), I’m guessing they’d end up without any firmness.
Vanda says
I wash, peel cut into 2 halves and throw them into freezer bags and into the freezer. I take a half out each day rinse off the ice, pop into my soup and cook!
Pep's Free From Kitchen says
This is really useful, thank you. I have a fair crop of yellow beetroot growing in my garden and I want to freeze it to have throughout the year. Great tip on peeling the beetroot! Thanks again.
Debbie says
Oh YUM! You always seem to tantalize my taste buds with your post. My beets here in Western MA aren’t ready to harvest yet. I stem, roast, grill and pickle (can) them for winter usage. This year, I shall try the freezer method – LOVE your automatic air sucker LOL – I tried it = works like a charmer (like you).
Joyce says
Hi, I do not grow my own beets but I belong to a CSA. I was trying to save what I had left before vacation.
However I really enjoyed your side regular ding. True Blood. I am trying to catch up on it. I think I’m on season 3 or 4. But, so busy. I’m glad I found your sight.. so entertaining !!!
Joyce
casimer says
thank you, very simple even I could follow,problem was I couldn’t freeze all it was great for supper .nothing like fresh beets
Janet says
Thanks for posting this. I had some beets given to me, unexpectedly, and needed to freeze them for later use. I knew I needed to cook the peels off, but wasn’t sure of the times. They’re on the stove now.
Bob says
Seems you can freeze most anything!! Great news. Last week I froze fresh strawberries (it is spring time here in Argentina). Next month is cherry season…so guess what I will be doing again?
Yag Patel says
thanks for taking the time to post this. incredibly helpful!
Jodi says
Love me some Bill and my bloody beets, but in my book, Sam’s the man.
Janae Hudman says
We like sliced cooked beets with red onions julienned, feta cheese, and dressed with balsamic vinegar. Thanks for your blog on freezing beets!
Nancy says
I have some frozen beets and would like to oven roast them along with winter squash cubes and carrots. I have found times for the squash and carrots, but not a beet from frozen. (I froze beets in previous years but always boiled them. Better flavor than canned, and like many, I have pickles to last.)
Love reading through the posts.
Elaine Ransom says
I store my beets in plastic buckets with 2 sheets of newspaper between each layer, in the cold room., smaller ones on the upper layers and big ones at the bottom. By April or May I cook the leftovers en mass and freeze them. Yearly I plant one or two of them to collect the seeds as I grow mostly heirlooms. One variety only for seed each year as theses keeps for several years.
Rose Burkhart says
Love, love, love this Kevin Lee Jacobs site. And True Bloods? Sounds fabulous.
In this house, beets atr a #1 veggie. Yes, I’d enjou receiving your news letter, thank you. Your fans sound as though they are like the wonderful folks where I lived for 80+ years in west-central Pennsylvania. Now, at 92 cannot garden but watch markets now have fresh beets! Wiil try your recipes to freeze some.
Monique says
Everything I’ve seen about freezing roasted beets talks about freezing them after roasting beets whole. Is there a reason to not roast in slices and then freeze?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Monique – I can’t speak from experience here, but I think your idea should work out just fine: peel, slice, and then roast the beets before freezing them. Let me know how the method works out for you!
Coralin says
Kevin, I would like to suggest another way to freeze beets. Make Deviled Beets. Melt 1 1/2 T butter, add 1/4 tsp powdered mustard, or, 1/2 tsp prepared mustard, 1 -2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp dry thyme, 1/2 tsp. dry marjoram, 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic, dash of salt. Simmer carefully so the garlic does not brown, and add 3 cups of sliced beets and toss well. (If the beets are large, I cut them in quarters before slicing). Put in 2 freezer bags, and freeze for Christmas dinner. These are gorgeous on your holiday table, and the only need to be heated through which can easily be done in the microwave. My family likes these so much, that I do a big 6 qt pot of them every summer. They freeze beautifully.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Coralin – That sounds WONDERFUL. Must try!