Dehydrating Beets:
Make Crispy Homemade Chips

Welcome to dehydrating beets: make crispy homemade chips!

Dehydrating beets is an easy way to preserve these nutritious root vegetables for long-term storage, too. Plus dried beets make a delicious and healthy snack (see my recipe for "Tasty Dehydrated Beet Chips").

Photo by Annemarie Schaepman on Unsplash

You can dry beets using a food dehydrator, a regular oven, or the new kid on the block: an air fryer. Any of these machine-drying methods retain most of the beets' nutrients and leave you with crispy beet chips... or grind up the dried slices into a powder! More on that later.

Beet Nutrition Info.

VITAMINS: Folate (Vitamin B9), Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6.

MINERALS: An excellent source of Manganese, Potassium, and Iron, along with Magnesium and Copper.

Beets also contain nitrates, which may help lower blood pressure, and betalains, which are considered to contain powerful antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties. Beets also contain fiber. We need more fiber, folks!

Incorporating Beet Powder into Your Diet

I’ve found that beet powder is a super way to add extra nutrition to my meals. I've even sprinkled a dash of it into my morning smoothies for a color- and nutritional boost.

Beet powder works great in:

• Smoothies
• Soups and stews
• Baked goods
• Homemade energy bars

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Different Types of Beets

I always thought there was only one kind of beet, color-wise. I'm so used to buying canned pickled beets which I use in salads. But I discovered six varieties:

1. Red Beets (Deep Red): The most common variety is a deep red or purple color with a sweet, earthy flavor AND are the ones most often pickled.
2. Golden Beets: They are a bright yellow-orange color and have a milder, less earthy flavor than red beets. They're a little sweeter and less "beety" tasting.
3. Chioggia Beets (Candy Cane Beets): They have a pink exterior with white and pink rings inside! They have a mild flavor and are slightly sweeter than red beets. Look how gorgeous they are sliced!
4. White Beets: White or off-white in color. They are sweeter and less earthy than red beets. Use these in salads or for pickling.
5. Cylindra Beets: Elongated shape (rather like a carrot). They are deep red in color and are good for slicing and canning.
6. Baby Beets: Any variety harvested young - typically sweeter and more tender.

Each of these varieties can be used for dehydrating. Obviously, you'll get a color and subtle flavor difference with each. Golden beets are milder-tasting, while Chioggia beets make visually striking chips with their ring pattern - see the image below, courtesy of rareseeds.com.

Blanching Beets

Blanching beets before dehydrating helps preserve their color and reduces dehydrator-drying time. Slicing beets thinly and evenly gives good, consistent results.

When stored properly, dehydrated beets can last for months, making them a great pantry addition in an effort to keep your food pantry full.

Key Takeaways

• Dehydrating beets preserves nutrients and extends their shelf life.
• Various methods can be used to dry beets, including dehydrators, ovens - and even air fryers.
  
• Proper preparation and storage are key when dehydrating beets.

Basics of Dehydrating Beets

Dehydrating beets is a simple process that preserves their nutrients and flavor. I’ll guide you through selecting the best beets and preparing them for dehydration.

Choosing the Right Beets

When picking beets for dehydration, choose firm, smooth-skinned roots without blemishes. Fresh beets are colorful and have crispy green tops. I prefer medium-sized beets as they’re easier to slice evenly!

Large beets often have woody centers, so I avoid those. If possible, I choose organic beets to minimize pesticide exposure. At the store, I gently squeeze each beet – it should feel solid with no soft spots.

To prepare beets for my food dehydrator, I start off by washing them thoroughly and scrubbing off any dirt with a vegetable brush, or a finger-nail cleaning brush.

Recipe Alert! Screenshot and Print this out:

Storage and Rehydration of Beets

Think about storing your dried beets in food vacuum sealer bags. Here's how. Or store them in Mason jars. Please add an oxygen absorber into the bag or jar before you draw the air out.

When you're ready to rehydrate your beets, it's easy. Just add them to cool clean drinking water until they are as plump as you want 'em - usually takes fifteen minutes to half an hour.

Some people like to use hot water... it's up to you. The thing is, I don't like to have stuff hanging around in hot/warm water because that's a breeding ground for germs. Just sayin'.

When they are rehydrated they are pretty much like the original inasmuch as they have retained most of their flavor and nutrients.

If you're adding beets to a soup or beef stew recipe, for instance, you can add the dried beets in directly, and they'll plump up in the recipe. You may need to add a little more stock (or water) to the recipe. Easy peasy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Thanks for stopping by to learn how to dry beets. And now you know how to make crispy, homemade beet chips!

Don't forget to get your free "Six Simple Steps" eBook where I share how to dehydrate food safely!