Sweet Beet Chips–Almost Like Candy (Really!)
I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t tried it. After all, Martha’s “Candied Beet Chips” seemed of two worlds–cook sliced beets in sugar water, then dry like a potato chip?
Beet Chips
I was used to candied fruit–boil in sugar water, then coat in sugar–and I’d even done this with pieces of ginger after making ginger syrup. I was used to homemade chips–slice veggies thin, add oil, salt and bake ‘til crisp. What would this be like?
I was tempted to defer, but the problem remained… I still had loads of beets from fall’s CSA harvest. So I made a big batch of Apple Beet soup and then gave these a try.
Beets! (Everywhere)
When they were done I was impressed. So impressed I ate the entire first batch while baking bread. And then I made more. When daughter #2 arrived home from school, she gave one a try. “These are good,” she said popping chips, one after the other, into her mouth. “What are they?”
“Beet chips,” I said, then watched the wave of horror move across her face as she backed away from the counter.
But the next day, I noticed that my container was much emptier. Either I’m eating in my sleep or …
Sweet Beet Chips
Sweet Beet Chips
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 small to medium beets
Directions
1. Slice beets thin–1/8 inch or less (a mandoline works great)
Thinly sliced beets
2. Heat water and sugar in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves and liquid comes to a boil. Add sliced beets and bring back to a boil. Add additional water if needed to just cover beets (wait until they boil, since this raises the water level).
3. Boil until beet slices are tender and translucent, about 20 minutes.
Boil the beet chips in sugar water
4. Lay beet slices in pan on parchment paper and bake at 250 for about an hour until the thinnest slices are crisp and the thickest slices are pliable but dry.
Sliced beets on parchment
5. Let cool, then enjoy. Pat yourself on the back for creating a serving of vegetables that is addictive! (Then step away from the serving bowl….)
Let dried chips cool
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Gosh, Inger, I have never heard of beet chips. What a great idea! Thank you for sharing it. I love baking all sorts of vegetable chips, but never ever thought of beets.
These are a little different than regular dried veggie chips (since you cook them in sugar first) but I thought they were delicious! I’m hoping to finish up more beets next week–those beets just hang in there!
Now you’ve got me daydreaming about my daughter eating beet chips after school!
That’s a great image, isn’t it Beth!
Interesting. I have a recipe for turnip chips I’ve been meaning to try, and these remind me of those bags of mixed root vegetable chips I like so much. Wonder if you could infuse flavors – I’m thinking rosemary, but chili peppers could be fun – in the syrup before drying. Fun, healthy, snacks are definitely worth some experimentation!
I would think the other flavors would infuse like the sugar did. That would be a great experiment!
i’ve already determined that i don’t like beets, inger! why do you go and do this and make me rethink things? i’ve only ever eaten beets pickled or raw, and i didn’t care for them, but this actually sounds appealing! 🙂
I understand, Grace! If it weren’t for the CSA, I don’t know if I’d ever buy beets. But this is my favorite solution yet and it may even convert me.
And I thought Kale chips were clever! This sounds fabulous!
Thanks! Kale chips have saved me during kale season too!
will try them!
I know you already do a lot with beets!
These are so pretty and I love beet. I gotta give this a try. 😉
I hope you enjoy them!
Great color!
Yes, aren’t they pretty? I guess that’s why they work so well as Easter egg dye!
I’m intrigued. I like making beet chips with golden beets, but have only ever tried the “kale chip” method. Your method sounds even tastier!
My golden beets are gone for the season but a mix would be really pretty! Ah something for next year…
What a brilliant snack idea, these ‘chips’ look awesome 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks–high praise from such a “sweets” expert!
I made beet chips about a month back but I charred half of them 🙁
To add insult to injury the kids did not like them at all. Maybe if I make these sweet ones, I’ll have some success.
The 250 degree baking temperature of these makes charring unlikely (though the cooking feels really slow). The sweet part is what was really surprising in a chip like this. Normally I would have thought of what you did. I guess I shouldn’t question Martha!
I think I may have baked mine at a higher temp – I don’t remember. But what happened with mine was that the thinner ones crisp-burned while the thicker ones looked done but, probably because of the high temperature, retained some moisture still (heat caused edges only to cook) and they were soggy in the middle 🙁
I think I popped them back in the oven and then stubbornly proceeded to eat each one. Even the charred ones 🙁
I am famous for burning the pumpkin seeds 😉
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who still has beets left over from fall CSAs! These look good, hopefully my husband will even eat them…
Ditto on glad to hear others have leftover beets Lynn!
These sound intriguing. Anything munchy yet nutritional with no junk additives have got to be a good thing.
I even used organic sugar (and a lot of the syrup is left at the end).
I would love to make sweet potato chips like these. Beets are the one vegetable I can’t turn myself on to. Probably because my mother poisoned me with canned beets when I was little.
Those canned vegetables from our pasts have ruined the desire for vegetables in too many palates. Remember canned spinach? UGH!
That and cooking fresh veggies until mush!
I understand–I struggle with the beets every year!