How to Keep Good Beetroot Fresh

Good beet: Beets are a biennial root vegetable that’s nutritious, versatile, and full of antioxidants. They’re fairly easy to store, especially in the refrigerator. Properly stored beets can last for weeks or even months.

Good beet

Pick beets with fresh, untitled greens.

If you want to store beets and keep them fresh, you need to make sure you’re picking fresh ones in the first place. The leaves attached to the beetroot are the best indicator of freshness. If the greens on a beet are wilted, the beetroot is probably not very fresh, so pick another one instead.

• If you’re picking your own beets from a garden, you can wait until well into the cold season, even after the first frost, but your beets should be picked before the temperature goes down to 24 °F (−4 °C) at night. Put them somewhere cold immediately, rather than leaving them in the sun.
  

  Good beet

Avoid beets with obvious blemishes.

Your beets should have unblemished skin. Look for a dark maroon colour, unless you’re picking a different variety of beets, such as the golden ones. The tail at the bottom should be intact.

Pick beets that are firm to the touch.

Softness is a sign that beets are spoiling, so pick ones that are firm. If you already have beets and find they’re soft, it’s best to throw them away.

Trim the leaves and stem.

Since leaves draw moisture from the root, removing them immediately will help to keep your beets fresh longer. So before storing your beets, you should trim them, leaving about 1 to 2 in (3 to 5 cm) of stem at the top of the root. Don’t trim the tail.

• Beet greens are edible, so you don’t have to throw them away. They can be prepared the same way as any other greens, for instance by sautéing. The greens only last in fridge up for 2 or 3 days.  Since they rot more quickly, they should be stored separately from the roots.
  

  Good beet

Rub the dirt off the roots.

Beets grow in the ground, and when they’re harvested they’re covered in dirt. They need to be cleaned, but not by washing, which makes them rot faster. Instead, gently rub the dirt off the root.

• If you do wash your beets at this point, make sure to dry them thoroughly before storing them.

Keep the beets raw and dry.

Again, moisture contributes to rotting, so you should keep your beets dry if you want them to last a while. You should also store them raw, since cooked beets won’t last nearly as long.

Put the beets in a perforated plastic bag.

Keeping your beets in a plastic bag will prevent them from becoming soft, dry, and wrinkled in the fridge. It’s best to cut small holes in the bag so that it doesn’t trap in moisture.

• A bag also helps prevent any juices from staining your countertop or fridge.
  

  Good beet

Place the beets in crisper drawer.

The crisper in the refrigerator is the best place to keep beets fresh, along with your other vegetables. But if they won’t fit in the crisper, a shelf in the fridge will work.

• If you’re going to use the beets within 5 days, you can leave them out at room temperature.