Utensils/Equipment:Cutting Board, Paring Knife, Large Stockpot, Steamer Basket.
Cut off the greens of the beets leaving about 1 inch of the stem on. Do not trim the root end off. This will keep the beet juice from leaching out during cooking.
Gently wash beets under cold running water. Carefully scrub the delicate skin of the beet with a paper towel. Keep the skin intact to also reduce the amount of beet juice loss.
Cover and place on stovetop. Bring water to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Beets should take about 40 minutes to steam depending on their size. Beets are fully cooked when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Wrap beets in heavy-duty foil or double wrap with regular weight foil. If beets are large, wrap individually. If small, wrap together. Do not wrap too tight. Leave room for the heat to circulate. Pinch all the edges to seal.
Place beets on the middle rack of a preheated 400° oven. Bake 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours depending on the size of the beets. Beets are fully roasted when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Place trimmed and washed beets in a large saucepot with enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil.
Crack lid and reduce heat to a medium boil. Cook for 35 to 45 minutes depending on size. Beets are fully cooked when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Place beets in a shallow microwaveable dish. Add ¼ cup water. Do not cook more than 1 pound at a time in the microwave.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Cook beets on HIGH for about 10 minutes. Beets are fully cooked when they can be easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
When cool enough to handle, peel the beets by rubbing them gently with paper towels. The skin should slip off very easily. The towels will also help prevent stained hands from the juice.
Use a paring knife to remove any stubborn skin spots and to cut off the stem and root end.
Clean any beet juice from your hands with a little lemon juice and soap.