Go Back
Print
Side dish of glazed beets

Harvard Beets

Harvard Beets, in their sweet and slightly tangy sauce, are a great addition to a meal. Enjoy them diced or sliced and hot, warm, or cold.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword beets, Harvard Beets
Servings 5
My Island Bistro Kitchen Barbara99

Ingredients

  • Apx. 1½ - 1¾ lbs cooked beets, peeled and diced or sliced (apx. 1¾ - 2 lbs raw beets weighed after leaves removed but roots and 1” – 1½“ stems left on)
  • 1/3 cup* brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp cloves (optional)
  • 7 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup water in which beets were cooked
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 3 tbsp butter, room temperature

Instructions

  1. Cut leaves off beets, leaving about 1” – 1½” of stem as well as roots on beets. Wash beets very well. Leave beets whole and place in large pot and add enough water to cook beets. Cover and bring beets to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce temperature to medium/medium-low and cook until a pare knife or fork can easily be inserted into beets. Length of actual cooking time is dependent on size of beets. Remove beets from pot and cool beets enough to handle. Reserve ¼ cup of the beet cooking water. Cut off stem and root ends and peel beets. Dice or slice beets. Set aside.
  2. In saucepan, combine the sugars, cornstarch, sea salt, and cloves. Whisk dry ingredients well to mix.
  3. Whisk in apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup of reserved beet cooking water, and orange juice. Bring mixture just to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and stir with a whisk until mixture thickens to desired consistency. Stir in the butter until melted and blended. Add the beets and stir to coat with the sauce and reheat them, generally 3-5 minutes. Serve as a side dish to meal of choice.

  4. Harvard Beets will keep, tightly covered, up to three days in the refrigerator and reheat well in the microwave. These beets also freeze very well and can be thawed at room temperature or in the refrigerator and then reheated in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

Yield: Apx. 5-6 servings

Note: For a sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar, to taste.

 

[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]