Frozen beetroot watery?

forgotmyname

Hopefully the right section for this..

Grew quite a lot of beetroot last year and steamed it and then sealed into bags removing as much air as possible.

But when we came to eat it the beetroot was very watery. Not wanting to make the same mistake again this year what did i do wrong?

Any tips for cooking/freezing beetroot?

Thanks

Linda32

From what I remember it is a little more softer than packet beetroot after it has been frozen. Can't see that you have done anything wrong. Only difference is I boil ours but I doubt that would make any difference.

TheGardener

Beetroot isn't great for freezing. Either bottle it, pickle it or make a soup out of it Failing that - grow a late variety and store in boxes of clean damp sand in a cellar or cool but not frost prone place. Like most root veg, it can keep quite well for a while without being cooked in the right conditions.

forgotmyname

When you say bottle it, what do you use to preserve it?

Anyone tried freezing it raw?

Don't really have a setup to be able to store in boxes of sand.

Thanks.

pogofish

Pickle it - or make some wine but be careful to keep in in the dark as much as humanly possible during fermentation and maturing or it can turn a bit iffy-brown if exposed to too much light.

TheGardener

Yes - always store in the dark. All you need are some decent sized jars with clean new lids. You bottle it by preserving in vinegar. However, it doesn't have to be sour - orange juice and beetroot is a fab combination (I bake whole beets in orange juice) and good vinegar with a bit of brown sugar gives a lovely mellow flavoured pickled beetroot - not that vile supermarket acid like stuff. There are lots of recipes online, just find one you like the look of. The key thing is making sure the bottles are sterilized properly.
The early baby sized beets are best for bottling - best when about golfball sized.
Or just sow a few every 2 weeks and have succession planting from early though to late autumn and avoid a glut then storage isn't so much of a problem.
Also Borscht (a soup) or other lovely summer soups freeze well.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

TheGardener wrote: »

Yes - always store in the dark. All you need are some decent sized jars with clean new lids. You bottle it by preserving in vinegar. However, it doesn't have to be sour - orange juice and beetroot is a fab combination (I bake whole beets in orange juice) and good vinegar with a bit of brown sugar gives a lovely mellow flavoured pickled beetroot - not that vile supermarket acid like stuff. There are lots of recipes online, just find one you like the look of. The key thing is making sure the bottles are sterilized properly.
The early baby sized beets are best for bottling - best when about golfball sized.
Or just sow a few every 2 weeks and have succession planting from early though to late autumn and avoid a glut then storage isn't so much of a problem.
Also Borscht (a soup) or other lovely summer soups freeze well.

Makes it look as though you're a serial killer preparing for the lean season, though - but they definitely freeze best this way;

Line a plastic beaker or highsided bowl with a freexer bag, pour in, freeze, then remove the bag/repeat until they're stacked up in portions -


Leave adding any dairy to them until reheating, if you use it (I don't - Include some potato as you cook them and the blitzing creates a creamier texture than just beetroot, softened onions and stock). They do separate a bit on reheating, but a quick stir brings them back together again. Oh, and add a little pickled beetroot vinegar when you cook it, plus any dill or horseradish - it tastes much better that way.

Chris25

forgotmyname wrote: »

Anyone tried freezing it raw?

Don't really have a setup to be able to store in boxes of sand.

Thanks.

Don't think it works freezing it raw. The small beetroots are the best to freeze - not when they get bigger & 'grainier'.

Or, you could make chocolate & beetroot cakes/brownies and freeze those