By the end of winter at Sterling, beets have definitely earned their title as the bumper crop of 2014, and everyone is suffering a little bit of beet overdose. These crunchy, sweet chips are a great way to use up the excess of beets, without defaulting to our standard beet salad. Aside from being totally delicious and beautiful on a plate, beets are also really good for you! They:
- Lower your blood pressure
- Boost your stamina
- Fight inflammation
- Contain anti-Cancer causing properties
- Rich in nutrients & fiber
- Support detoxification
Beet chips are a favorite here at Sterling College and rarely, actually never, are there any leftover after a meal. They are so delicious that we thought we would share our little secret and empower you to make the most of your bumper beet crop!
First things first: Wash your beets! Once washed, slice however many beets you want (they go fast & keep well so, for this recipe, we recommend that you over estimate if you’re not sure how many to make!). Cut the beets on a slicer or mandoline. Thickness is a matter of taste but we prefer about 1/8th of an inch. You can do this by hand but it will take a little longer. You’ll be thrilled to know that there is no need to peel the beets.
Way #1: Oven-baked
Preheat oven to 375F. Toss sliced beets in olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Shingle each slice on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your beets. The slices will turn color from purple – to a warm, golden red hue, almost brown at the edges. Pull them from the oven at this stage and let them cool and get crunchy.
Way #2: Dehydrated
Preheat oven to the lowest possible setting, or 175F for most ovens. Shingle sliced beets on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. Dehydrate the beets in the oven for 3-5 hours depending on the size of your beets. Pull from oven and cool until crunchy.
Way #3 & the Sterling Students’ Favorite: Fried
Pour your frying oil of choice (in our case, we use organic, non-GMO canola) in a fry- safe pan, at a depth of about 2-3 inches. Heat oil to 375F, or a temperature that is suitable for the oil you’re using. Drop beet slices into the hot oil away from you, being careful of splatters. Fry chips for about 6 minutes, until they start to darken, and take on a brighter red color. Quickly pull them from the oil and onto a cooling rack (there’s a fine line between a perfect beet chip and burnt beet chip). Season with salt and pepper while still hot, and the chips will get crunchy when cool. If your chips are too soggy and chewy after frying, check the temperature of the oil, or fry the next batch a little bit longer.
Enjoy!
