How to store beets properly? storage methods

Storage methods

There are 2 main storage methods: indoor and outdoor.

• Closed way: in boxes with sand. Suitable for any premises. The sand must be calcined naturally by placing it in the sun or in the oven. When placing beets in a box, care must be taken that individual specimens do not touch each other.
• Open way: in baskets or boxes. Suitable for a cellar or basement with good ventilation.
• On shelves lined with a pyramid. For rooms with a large area. The height of the pyramid should not exceed 75 cm.
• Bulk. If the crop is stored in bins, then they should be located 20 cm above the floor level. Uniform cooling and air ventilation are ensured. The height of the bins is 1 m, they should not touch the walls of the basement. If collars are installed, then they must have certain dimensions: height - 75 cm, width - 1 m.
• On potatoes. Beets thrive in the vicinity of potatoes stored in boxes or bags. It fits on it in one layer. In this way, two problems are solved at once: potatoes lose excess moisture, and beets absorb it and become more elastic. Vegetables are sprinkled with ash or sand.
• In a clay solution. Suitable for any type of premises.
• In peat, sawdust. The method is identical to that where sand is used.

You can also store beets in the apartment. But it will not last more than 4 months.

• If you have a glazed balcony, you can create excellent conditions for beets. Put it in a box and cover it with sand. It can lie until spring, but care must be taken that the temperature does not drop to negative values.
• If subzero temperatures are possible on the balcony, you can build heating for the box with root crops. You just need to hang a light bulb inside the container.
• Storing beets in the room. To do this, sprinkle it with sawdust or sand, or dip it in a clay solution, then dry it. Place in boxes. So the beets will last up to 4 months.
• It is great to keep the vegetable in the refrigerator. It is necessary to wrap the root vegetable in foil or parchment paper. Shelf life is 3 months.

How to store beets in an apartment?

All of the above methods for storing vegetables are good if you have a basement or vegetable store. But what if you live in an apartment? There is a way out - to use a loggia or balcony, best of all closed or glazed

It is important that in winter the mercury column of the thermometer on the balcony does not drop below zero. For this purpose, a container filled with sand, wooden or plastic, is optimal.

How to properly store beets in an apartment? The sand must be clean, sifted and calcined, for these purposes, as mentioned above, you can use the oven. A layer of river sand is poured into the box, the roots are stacked (so that they do not come into contact with each other), sand is poured on top again, and then the beets are laid out again. Top vegetables are covered with a final layer of sand. This method will help preserve them for several months. The condition of the vegetables will be excellent.

Falling asleep of root crops with sand, photo:

If the balcony is not glazed, then you can equip the so-called "mini-cellar" - a voluminous, tightly knit wooden box, insulated inside with foam or expanded polystyrene. A small lamp can be installed inside such a "cellar", it will not only add comfort to use, but will also carry out mini-heating of the container. The main thing is to arrange everything so that the vegetables do not freeze with the onset of frost, otherwise they will become unsuitable for eating, they will lose their useful qualities.

How to store beets at home, even if there is no balcony?

We use all dark places to our advantage: it can be a pantry, space under beds, wardrobes or under tables. The main condition is that these places must be remote from radiators or heating devices. Here you will again need boxes, the dimensions of which should comfortably fit all available free apartment spaces. Root crops, again, should be sprinkled with sawdust, sand or chalk, you can also use an earthen solution.

Make sure that no bright light gets in there.

In such conditions, vegetables overwinter perfectly, do not lose their appearance and nutritional value for at least 4 months. Most importantly, do not forget to periodically sort through stocks, remove spoiled or suspicious root crops.

How to store beets in the refrigerator?

If the volumes of the harvested crop are small, then the lower compartment of the refrigerator is suitable for storage. The tubers can be wrapped in paper or foil. Thus, they can be stored for about a month, but if they lie longer, they will begin to lose moisture and useful properties. In addition to wrapping with paper or foil, you can use plastic bags with holes. Special plastic (food) containers are also suitable for this purpose.

Remember that beets should not be washed before storing!

Freezing beets

Freezing is worth mentioning separately, but this is rather an alternative, extreme method of storing this vegetable, since with this approach it loses a significant part of its useful qualities. Root vegetables are washed, chopped by hand or using a food processor, laid out in plastic trays or plastic bags, and placed in the freezer.

Summing up, it is worth emphasizing that the key to long-term comfortable storage of beets is initially well-organized harvesting. The correct choice of the variety, which has a good keeping quality, is also important.

Now you know how to prune beets for storage for the winter, as well as which composition is better to choose for pouring vegetables. If there is no cellar, it doesn't matter, you can equip a vegetable store at home, how to equip a box for tubers - now you also know. With properly organized basement storage, this truly indispensable vegetable can be stored for about 7-8 months. At home, in compliance with all the rules, beets will comfortably "live" up to 4 months.

Features of storage in the apartment

Apartments are not suitable for storing beets, so housewives have to be smart and smart to save the harvest. The folk experience offers different ways, depending on the characteristics of the housing, the size of the harvest.

The fruits are carefully sorted, choosing small specimens with a diameter of 10-12 centimeters. They find the darkest and coolest place in the apartment, far from the radiators. Beets are covered with sand and placed under the bed, by the balcony, in a dark unheated closet. You can put the box on the staircase in a quiet, uncrowded staircase.

To maintain moisture and protect against overheating, the roots are covered with a layer of clay. For this, a liquid clay infusion is prepared, vegetables are dipped and dried. In such a "coat" beets will last 2-3 months. When stored in an apartment, stocks will have to be regularly inspected (once every 2-3 weeks) in order to remove damaged copies in time and prevent the spread of rot.

In fridge

In open bags made of dense polyethylene, beets are stored in the refrigerator for 1-1.5 months. It is kept in the vegetable compartments on the lower shelves. To extend the shelf life of the vegetable, each beet is individually sealed in parchment paper or foil and laid out on a shelf. In this case, the root crop will last 2-3 months.

In the freezer

Fast freezing is used to store various vegetables and fruits. This method can hardly be called ideal - the taste and some of the nutrients are lost.Beets are stored in the freezer in raw or boiled form, they are used in the future to prepare various dishes.

In this way, large and small root crops that are poorly fresh can be preserved. After sorting the crop, they are immediately processed for freezing. If the chamber is large enough to accommodate the beets, this method will save time when cooking. Raw or cooked vegetables are cut into random pieces (slices, strips) or grated. Place in portions at a time in bags or containers with lids and freeze.

If necessary, take it out and send it directly to a frying pan or saucepan without thawing. Beetroot juice strongly stains your hands, therefore, having got dirty once, you can prepare a root crop for future use and remain in the future with clean hands when cooking dinner.

On the balcony

The most suitable place for storing beets in the apartment is the balcony. Many summer residents manage to make it a real storehouse of vegetables and save the harvest until spring. Glazed balconies or loggias are protected from frost and sun, keep the temperature well. For vegetables, a box is made of wood with a tight lid, which is placed against the wall of the house for additional heat. In cold regions, the walls of the box are laid with foam or other thermal insulation material.

Additionally, an electric lamp is installed for heating when the temperature drops. In case of a sharp cold snap, external heaters are used - blankets, straw. If ventilation is provided in such structures, heating, vegetables and fruits will be preserved until the end of spring.

Beet varieties for winter storage

So, let's name some varieties that winter well in basements and cellars. These are Salad beets, Bordeaux 237, Mulatto, Detroit. These are the most resistant varieties. There are others, but they are rarely laid for the winter.

For example, the Cylinder variety is very often grown in vegetable gardens. However, the variety is not suitable for the winter. Although this variety for some reason continues to be stored in winter.

In order to preserve the harvest, you need to pay attention to the varieties of local selection. Oddly enough, they winter well

Often, due to improper harvesting, summer residents do damage to themselves. A careless handling of the root crop is enough - and that's it. In order for the harvest to delight you until next summer, you must adhere to simple rules for storing vegetables.

Properly preparing beets for winter storage

Some people think that picking beets is very simple: pulled out the tops and that's it. But this is not the case, because the skin can be damaged. Of course, in such a situation, the harvest will not last long.

It is necessary to carefully lift the ground with a pitchfork or a shovel, and then pull out the root crop. So there is less chance of damaging it. It is best to harvest on a dry autumn day. But you need to collect the beets before frost, otherwise the crop will deteriorate.

• If the beets are harvested on a dry day, then you can dry them right on the garden bed. Four hours is enough - no more, otherwise the vegetable will begin to wrinkle.
• If the crop is harvested in damp weather, then it will need to be dried indoors, laid out in one layer. In this case, it will take up to five days to dry.

After the beets are removed from the ground, they need to be processed. First, remove the ground. In no case should you beat fruits against each other, as well as knock down the ground with foreign objects. The tops must be cut off immediately, leaving 1 centimeter.

The lateral roots are removed so as not to damage the root crop itself. You can cut the main root, but not hard. However, it is best not to touch it at all so that the harvest is better preserved.
As soon as the roots are dry, they need to be sorted out. Ripe and healthy root vegetables are selected for storage, and the rest are separated. If there is still earth on some of the fruits, it must be left.

Choosing where it is better to store root crops

The storage location is selected depending on the conditions. So, today we will talk about some of the ways to store beets.You can store the crop indoors or outdoors. So, beets are laid in piles, in bins, folded in a box with sand, and also simply on shelves. It is best to store it in a basement or suburban cellar, where there is no light and the temperature is up to +2 degrees, and there is also natural air circulation. There will be no frost here.

It is important to store beets in such conditions for the first two months. That's when the tops appear

In order to reduce the risk of outgrowths that shorten the shelf life, you need to place the beets at a height of 15 centimeters from the floor.

If the beets have some damage, it is best not to store them. Good root vegetables can be safely laid in bulk. The best option is to store the beets in sand boxes. But then the sand needs to be fried so that possible pests will die in it. Beets are laid so that the fruits do not touch each other.

Not all people have the opportunity to store beets in the basement. What if you live in an apartment? Some tips can help you avoid storage difficulties. Therefore, for four months, you can expect that the beets will be preserved. So, if there is no frost on the balcony in winter, then the beets will overwinter in boxes of sand. Just in case, you need to prepare a blanket with which we will cover the boxes in case of severe frosts.

Storing beets for the winter in bags, without a cellar

You can store beets even in boxes under the bed, but away from the batteries. In this case, the roots are wrapped in clay or paper. You can also store crops in food foil in the refrigerator. In this case, the beets will keep their taste for three months.

A place

When storing beets at home, special attention must be paid to the choice of location, this will determine not only the safety of vegetables, but also the timing. For these purposes, the following places may be suitable:

1. A glazed balcony or loggia can be a good alternative to an underground or basement when stored in an urban environment, but it will be necessary to create comfortable and root-friendly conditions. With the onset of severe frosts, additional shelter of vegetables will be required; old blankets can be used as an insulating layer.
2. Beets can be folded into any container and placed in a suitable place in the room, such as under the bed. However, this technique is only suitable for short-term storage, the duration of which is no more than 8 - 12 days.
3. The refrigerator is another suitable place, but vegetables should not be placed in the freezer. This method is also suitable for short-term storage only.
4. The staircase is a good place to store root crops, since the temperature there is usually lower than in the rooms, but at the same time higher than the balcony.
5. Storage in the kitchen can be carried out only in the absence of too high a level of humidity and sufficient distance of the container with vegetables from the stove, it is best to place it near a window or balcony door, where the temperature is usually lower.

Freeze for the winter

A wonderful way to preserve all the vitamins and nutrients of beets is to freeze them. For this purpose, it is recommended to use only medium-sized table varieties and root vegetables. There are several options for storing beets in the freezer:

• raw;
• in boiled form.

Both are effective and keep the sweet vegetable for up to 8 months. The only advantage of freezing boiled beets is saving time when preparing dishes, since there is no need for further heat treatment.

You can freeze the beets either whole or by slicing or simply grating, as well as peeling and boiling. It all depends on what kind of dishes it will be used for in the future.

Table: methods of grinding beets when freezing

The blanks are placed in a plastic bag or plastic container and sent to the freezer

It is important to pack the future freezing in portions, i.e.

put in a container exactly as much as is necessary to prepare one pot of borscht or one serving of salad. This is due to the fact that with repeated freezing the beets will lose their taste and valuable properties.

Zip bags are the most convenient for freezing beets in portions

Defrost the vegetable gradually at room temperature. It is not recommended to place the sliced ​​bag in warm water or use a microwave oven.

Thus, beetroot storage is a whole science, which everyone is capable of comprehending. The main thing is to take into account all the beet "wishes". Then the harvest obtained by one's own labor will be perfectly preserved until next summer.

Storage methods

Beets are covered with a dense and thick skin that prevents the liquid from evaporating, so they can remain fresh even at room temperature for at least 7 days. But if you have to store beets in an apartment all winter, it is better to choose one of the methods below.

In sand or sawdust

A simple and convenient way to store beets for several months is sawdust or sand. These materials prevent moisture evaporation and prevent the fruit from rotting.

We advise you to read how and when to plant beets before winter.

Vegetables need to be folded in layers in a prepared box and sprinkle each layer with the chosen filler - sand or sawdust

In this case, it is important that the space between the fruits is filled with filler, and the roots themselves do not touch. It is recommended to cover the inner walls of the box with foil

If sand is used to fill the container, it must be sieved and thoroughly heated in the oven.

When the fruits are laid in a box, a layer of sand or sawdust with a thickness of at least 2 cm should be poured on top of them. Then the box with root vegetables can be placed on the balcony or near the front door in the stairwell.

With potatoes

In urban apartments, potatoes are usually stored in small bags. For long-term freshness of both root vegetables, beets can be placed in a bag of potatoes. At the same time, you need to place it on the potatoes in one layer so that it absorbs the moisture given by the potatoes. As a result of this neighborhood, the beets will remain juicy for a long time, and the potatoes will not rot.

A bag of these roots can be placed on an insulated balcony, in a cool and dark closet, or near the front door.

In a bag or foil

The easiest way is to put the beets in plastic bags and place them in a cool place. The main thing is not to tie the bags in order to provide the root crops with air access.

Did you know? During the Roman Empire, beets were used as an aphrodisiac.

Harvesting for the winter: freezing, drying, conservation

A popular way to use beets in the winter are various vegetable preparations. The methods of their preparation and storage differ from each other, but they allow you to always have a ready-made semi-finished product on hand for preparing various dishes.

Consider the most common ways to create beet blanks.

Frozen beets

Vegetables are peeled and chopped with a knife or grater. They are then folded into small plastic bags or closed plastic containers and kept in the freezer. You can store chopped frozen vegetables for up to 6 months. After defrosting, beets can be used to prepare salads, soups and other dishes.

The disadvantage of this storage method is the loss of most of the vitamins and a deterioration in taste.

Dry seasoning for dishes

Beets are washed, peeled, finely chopped or grated.The resulting mass is laid out in one thin layer to dry. When the pieces are dry, they are interrupted in a blender and placed in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Optionally, for the preparation of such a seasoning, carrots, onions, bell peppers, herbs and garlic are also used.

Dressing for borscht

Such a preparation will help to save a lot of time for cooking this dish.

To prepare 2 liters of dressing you will need:

• 1 kg of beets;
• 350 g each of carrots, sweet bell peppers, tomatoes and onions;
• 3 tablespoons of sugar;
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 70 ml of vegetable oil;
• 40 ml of 9% vinegar.

Progress:

1. Grate peeled beets and carrots, finely chop the rest of the vegetables.
2. Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan, add sugar, salt, vinegar and vegetable oil.
3. Stir the mixture and put the saucepan over low heat.
4. Bring the dressing to a boil and cook for about half an hour.
5. Divide the hot mass into sterilized jars and roll up immediately.

Beetroot caviar

This product is delicious and lean.

To prepare 5 liters of caviar you will need:

• 6.5 kg of beets;
• 0.5 kg of carrots and onions;
• 2.5 kg of tomatoes;
• 75 g of parsley and celery root;
• 85 g salt;
• 40 g sugar;
• a pinch of ground black and allspice ground pepper;

• 500 g of vegetable oil.

Progress:

1. Tomato mass is made from tomatoes - for this they are slightly welded in a separate bowl and the resulting mass is passed through a sieve.
2. The rest of the vegetables are peeled and ground in a blender or passed through a meat grinder.
3. Then they transfer the vegetables to a saucepan, add the tomato mass, finely chopped herbs, spices, vegetable oil and sugar.
4. Mix everything thoroughly and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
5. Hot beetroot caviar is placed in jars, sterilized and covered with lids.

We recommend that you learn about the properties of beet tops.

Rules for storing beets at home

Whichever way of storing beets you choose, it entirely depends on your capabilities and preferences. If you have a cellar or a vegetable store, this is great, but even in an ordinary apartment you can store a vegetable all winter. The best option for storage is a cellar.

The main requirements for storing beets are:

• Humidity level is not more than 90%;
• Lack of light;
• Good ventilation of the cellar;
• Air temperature from 0d to + 2⁰С. The indicator should not be higher or lower. Temperature rise that would lead to germination should also be avoided.
• Store beets at least 10-15 cm above floor level. You can take any container for laying a vegetable. Usually vegetables are put in wooden or plastic containers, or bags, which are laid out on shelves and covered with sawdust and sand.

For loose storage, a wooden grate is used, which is laid on the floor. This technique is used for good air circulation, which has a positive effect on the safety of this crop. It is good to divide the crop into large and small nodules that need to be stored separately from each other.

In the basement

You can store beets in different ways, be it laying in plastic bags, boxes, stacking next to potatoes and carrots, in leaves, sand and ash, in the refrigerator or in bulk. Fodder roots grown on an industrial scale are stored in piles (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Placing root crops in the basement

The cellar is considered the best place to store beets. There vegetables can be stored until the next harvest. Fruits are placed in bulk on dry sand in a layer of no more than 5 cm. With a concrete field, the crop is poured onto pallets 10-15 cm high for good air ventilation. If you decide to store potatoes and beets together, then the roots are spread over the potatoes.

The folded crop is placed in boxes on the shelves and on the floor, without closing them. You can also save the vegetable in sand and sawdust. We fill the bottom of the box with sand, since the sand well retains the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the root crops and prevents moisture from entering. Storage is also practiced in the basements of multi-storey buildings, provided that the temperature there is not too high. The fruits are stored there in boxes, sprinkled with sand. In such rooms, vegetables are not stored in bags due to poor air ventilation.

In fridge

A cellar or basement is considered an ideal storage room in winter. In such rooms, it is good to maintain the temperature and humidity level in the room. But what should the residents of city apartments do that have neither a basement nor a cellar? And at home, it is possible to store beets until spring in an ordinary household refrigerator or on a glassed-in balcony (Figure 5).

How to keep beets in an apartment:

1. You can put the vegetable in a bag and, without tying it, put it where it is coolest: for example, by the balcony or next to the outer door.
2. Storage on a glazed balcony in boxes is allowed, where they will be generously sprinkled with sand or sawdust and the fruits will not touch each other.
3. So that the beets on the balcony do not suffer from frost, they are covered with blankets.
4. If you store potatoes on the balcony, then beets can also be stored in the same box with them, sprinkling them on top of the potatoes and creating favorable conditions for both root vegetables.

Figure 5. Methods for freezing beets

At room temperature, beets can be stored for quite a long time, up to a week, thanks to their thick skin, which loses moisture rather slowly. It is recommended to store the beets away from heating appliances in the apartment.

The practice of storing beets in the refrigerator. To do this, it is wrapped in plastic wrap or a bag with holes and placed in the refrigerator. In this case, the vegetables will remain fresh for a month, however, it is necessary to ensure that condensation does not collect inside the bag.

Correct collection and preparation for storage

Preparation of grown fruits for storage begins from the moment of harvest. In order for the beets to be stored for a long time without spoiling, the following rules must be observed:

1. Harvesting usually begins in the autumn, for this you need to choose a dry day: it will be more convenient for the people involved to carry out this process on it, and will also have a positive effect on the safety of the beets.
2. You should not pull the beets out of the soil by the tops, you first need to dig in the fruit with a shovel, slightly lifting it up along with a layer of soil.
3. It is necessary to have time to harvest the entire crop before the first serious frost, since even a slight cold snap can negatively affect the condition of the fruits, which makes them unsuitable for long-term storage.

After all the beets have been dug up, they will need to be prepared in advance, this is done as follows:

In the absence of atmospheric precipitation, all fruits must be left in the garden for 2-4 hours, which will allow them to dry slightly.

In the presence of precipitation, or if the soil is too wet for other reasons, the beets will need to be moved indoors and dried there. For these purposes, it is placed in a place with good ventilation, after which it is laid out on the floor in one layer.

It should be borne in mind that when dried in such conditions, this process can take up to 2 to 7 days, during which it is necessary to monitor the condition of the crop so that it does not wither.

After drying, all root crops must be cleaned of soil adhering to them, this must be done extremely carefully so as not to damage the thin skin. For this reason, it is forbidden to beat the beets against each other, subject them to other types of mechanical stress or use a sharp tool.

Washing in water is also not allowed, this will negatively affect the preservation during long-term storage.

The tops are cut from the peeled beets, while it is imperative to leave a small stump, the optimal length is no more than a centimeter. This should be done only with a clean and sharp knife, which will prevent infection from entering the cut and avoid soaked and lacerated wounds.

Now all the lateral processes are removed, this must also be done extremely carefully so as not to damage the root crop itself and not disrupt the structure of its skin.

The main root should not be removed, however, with a considerable length, it can be shortened to 5 - 7 cm.

After all these procedures, it is necessary to carefully sort the beets. Any fruit that is weak, dry, rotten or in any way damaged should be discarded as it could spread an epidemic into the store, resulting in the loss of all harvested crops. It is also recommended to weed out too large fruits, as they do not store well.

Features of storing beets at home

Since beets are kept fairly well at home, they are always grown in sufficient quantities and stored until the next harvest. In order to store the harvest throughout the year, you need to take into account the peculiarities of storing beets at home:

The storage location should be at an optimum temperature of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius, with an air humidity of about 85%.
These vegetables are best preserved in dark places, out of direct sunlight.
Before storage, it is important to dry and sort the root crops. Storing small, medium and large root vegetables separately will make them easier to use during winter and spring.

Medium-sized beets keep better and can sit until the next harvest.
It is better to store the beets in boxes, sprinkling each layer of root crops with river sand. In this case, the boxes in the storage must be stacked on top of each other at a distance from the walls and at a height of about 15 centimeters from the floor. Thus, the roots will be well ventilated, and will not undermine.
Beets are kept fairly well in cellars, basements, piles and in any other dark and cool rooms.
When storing beets in an apartment, you need to periodically sort out and remove damaged roots.
Beets cannot be stored in the refrigerator for a long time, since they quickly begin to lose their taste there and after a month they can wither or start to rot.

Ways to store beets at home

For several millennia of growing beets, people have learned how to effectively store them at home, so there are no difficulties in this process. The most important thing is to choose the right variety for storage and grow it correctly. Then, choosing the storage method that best suits your conditions, you can lay the crop for the winter. The most common ways to store beets are:

1. In boxes, sprinkling roots with sand, sawdust or dry leaves.
2. In plastic bags, sprinkling the beets with sand.
3. In the bins.
4. Thin layer on potatoes.
5. Beets are well preserved when treated with brine. After that, it must be dried and folded into boxes, you can put it in a storage location.
6. Bulk.
7. In the refrigerator, putting beets in paper or plastic bags.

For high-quality and effective preservation of the harvest, it is advisable to store beets in several ways. This will allow you to choose the most optimal storage method over time and determine the distribution process of vegetables during the winter.