Get The Most Out Of Vegetable Garden Beets

by Cherrie Sorenson
(Utah)

Here's a few tips on how to get the most out of vegetable garden beets, along with an easy to follow, and delicious beet jelly recipe.

Beets are easy to grow, delicious, and often get overlooked for their benefits. Red beets are unique for their high levels of anti-carcinogens and very high carotenoid content. They are high in carbohydrates and low in fat and it is an excellent source of folic acid. They are loaded with antioxidants. Betacyanin gives beets their red color.

Our ancestors utilized beets to their fullest degree. They did not throw the beet greens away as they can be cooked like spinach and are also rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, chlorophyll, potassium, vitamin C, and iron.

Beets were boiled in water for cooking purposes, and the water saved for making beet jelly which is absolutely delicious! Last year I made a batch of beet jelly using home grown beets, talk about yummy!

Making beet jelly is very simple and takes no time at all.

BEET JELLY:

Use a large pot and wash your beets well to remove any dirt and roots.
1 pkg MCP pectin and 7 ½ c. sugar.
Follow the fruit preparations and cooked jam and jelly directions inside the MCP pectin package for sour apple or crab apple jelly.
A typical crab apple recipe requires 5 ½ c juice which is the same amount of water used to boil the beets in.
Yields approx. 9 – 8 oz jars

Beet jelly does not set hard, it is a soft set so don’t worry. If you want it harder, try adding an additional amount of pectin.

Cherrie Sorenson

P.S.

For another great vegetable jelly recipe, visit Grandmas Modern Inflation Fighters to purchase a copy of my recipe book.