Print

The Easiest Way to Peel Beets

Beets prepared in the pressure cooker / Instant Pot will pop right out of their skins! Plus, you can use the tails on Halloween as Creepy Edible Rat Tails!
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beets, cooking hack, instant pot, pressure cooker, Vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Equipment

Materials

  • Whole beets with roots intact and stems still on but trimmed
  • Enough water to just cover all the beets

Instructions

  • If your beets still have greens attached, trim them down leaving short stems attached. (Beet greens are delicious in salads and sandwiches!)
  • Leave the roots intact.
    Beets with short stems and roots attached
  • Put the beets into the pressure cooker and add enough water to just cover all the beets (a little root or stem peeking out of the water is ok, but make sure the bodies of the beets are covered).
  • Pressure cook on high according to your pressure cooker's instructions.

Pressure Cooker Times (use only if not covered in your pressure cooker's instructions)

  • ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER/INSTANT POT:
    Small beets - 10 minutes
    Medium beets - 15 minutes
    Large beets - 20 minutes
  • STOVETOP PRESSURE COOKER
    Small beets - 8 minutes
    Medium beets - 10 minutes
    Large beets - 15 minutes
  • Carefully release the pressure through the pressure release valve.
  • Drain off the water.
  • Cool beets - by dousing in cold water, ice, or popping in the freezer for a few minutes - until they can be handled safely. REMEMBER: They cool from the outside in, so the layer under the skin will be hotter than the skin, and the middle will be much hotter than that.
  • Once the beets are cool enough to safely handle, trim off the top with stems and the root (there's your Creepy Edible Rat Tail for Halloween!).
  • Then just wrap your hand around the skin and squeeze from the bottom, and your beet will pop right out! Peel off any little bits still sticking. Then cut up and use however you prefer!
    Jewel Salad

Video

Notes

IMPORTANT:  Keep these things in mind when preparing beets this way:
Beets *can* stain your fingers or clothes, so you may want to wear gloves.  I find if my fingers do get a little stained, it washes out in a day, so I don't worry about it.
The steam that comes out of the pressure cooker will be hot.
The beets need to be cooled before you handle them to take the skin off.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for your pressure cooker.