This Is the Easiest Way to Cook Beets.
I used to hate beets, but couldn’t tell why. “They taste like mud sweet,” I said, as if it were bad. In fact, the earthy sweetness of beets is delicious, perfect for summer salads and simple side dishes. Cooking raw beets, however, is kind of a pain. Luckily, a box of kosher salt (and an oven) is all you need to make a flavorful, easy-to-peel, and pretty beetroot.
Clear raw beets – a dirty business (though strangely beautiful), and attempt to perform this task after you prepare it, will greatly simplify the task. Roasting the beets in a layer of salt not only infuses them with flavor, but also softens the rind, which you can remove by rubbing slightly. This is truly the most rational approach to harvesting beets.
You can salt the roast only a couple of beets, or you can salt the whole bunch. The only limiting factor is the size of your pan and the amount of salt. You can add other herbs and spices to the salt, but leaving it simple will give you a more versatile batch of beets.
Place a thick layer (about 3/4 inch) of coarse kosher salt on top of your desired roasting pan, then trim and peel the beets. While the bits are still wet, dip them in salt to cover, and then place them in a layer of sodium chloride. Add salt to all exposed beets, then cook in 425 degrees oven for about an hour, or until the peeler slides into the beets with little or no resistance. Remove from oven, let cool completely, then rub off the skin. (You may need to pick off small pieces with your fingernail.) Serve the beets in a salad along with fried chicken, or wrap them in a slice of prosciutto ham for a savory sweet snack (I did this last night and highly recommend it).