I was given a crockpot for Christmas (from Mom...she's so wonderful!)

I have a surplus of big ol' beets left in the ground (okay) and would like to make borscht. Anyone got a recipe for a crockpot version? I guess I could wing it, but I'm a newbie at the crockpot cooking thing. I checked our archives and a couple of websites, but couldn't find anything.

Do you have other crockpot recipes you'd like to share? Or tips? Thanks!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 30, 2000

Answers

Hi Sheepish, I haven't tried making it in a crockpot, but here is my borscht recipe. Peel and quarter and slice several beets, and boil until tender along with some small potatoes or larger ones chunked up. While these are cooking, saute a big onion in olive oil along with dill or caraway seeds and some salt and pepper. If you want to, you can put some cabbage in as well, cut into strips. When the onions are a golden brown, pour them into the pot with the beets, rinsing out the oil in the pan, and pour that in as well. Season to taste with honey and cider vinegar, about a soup spoon heaping of honey, and about the same of vinegar. Serve with sour cream.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), December 30, 2000.

My family uses the crockpot a lot and love it. Follow the tips that come with the crock...like don't raise the lid and peak/taste...you cut off 20 min of cook time, don't over season for the spices really release with slow cooking, and plan ahead and don't be in a hurry:) The crock is great to throw anything together in the morning and forget about it until dinner. Even simple recipes with pork chops or chicken with barbe-Q sauce really comes out great. We like to make pot roasts and Bean soup (or any beans for that matter). Adjust the liquids in your recipes, meats and roast really release alot of broth/gravy, to the point that you don't have to add much liquid. Have fun:) Al

-- Al Cadavero (A4wocn@aol.com), December 30, 2000.

Rebekah: Your borscht sounds yummy. Do you peel and slice the beets before cooking? My mother always boiled the beets first so that they pop right out of thier skins under cold water, then continued the receipe. That way they don't bleed like a raw cut beet does, and it's kind of fun to smoosh them out of thier hides like blanched tomatoes or peaches.

Sheepish: Your livestock will like those beets if you can't cook them all up. And they make a nice addition to dog food, cooked and mixed with the regular food. Dogs like cooked beets and parsnips - and I don't blame them, so do I. Also, if you leave some in the ground, in the spring you will have nice new beet tops for salads or greens. Cook the greens w/baby beets attached. Yummy.

-- Maggie's Farm (elemon@peacehealth.org), January 02, 2001.

If they're small beets, I cook them in their skins and then slip the skins and slice them. If they're really big beets, I peel them lightly with a potato peeler, and cut them up,then cook them. I use the cooking water so I don't care if they bleed. I like the pretty pink color :)

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), January 02, 2001.

Thanks to you all! I will try your suggestions. I have some mangel seeds that I didn't plant this year (hope they stay viable until next year) for stock beets. Good idea re: these old ones in the ground for the sheep/goats. I have about a 10' row left so I will have to carefully pick them over anyway. The ones I don't want can go to the critters. Usually my beets stop growing and I leave them in the ground until I need them. These seem to have kept on growing and are about 2 fists wide! Needless to say, though, the greens are gone!

Btw, I have spinach up (from natural re-seeding)...about 2". This is a strange year! I was outside working this afternoon and it was nearly 60F. I could smell the hen house! (groan...seems like we just cleaned it!) Normal temp for this time of year is highs in the 40s. Last time this happened, we had a snow storm on February 1 and another on March 1. I spent part of the afternoon replacing the roof on a run-in shed, just in case this lovely weather turns south! I want to get my repairs/chores done while it's still decent weather.

Again, thanks for the recipe info. Hope you are all warm and well.

-- sheepish (WA) (rborgo@gte.net), January 02, 2001.