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Charcoal-Roasted Beets

Servings: 4 people
Author: Colin Shane

Ingredients

  • 8 medium red and/or yellow beets with tops still on if possible
  • 2 tablespoons toasted piñon or pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon fresh horseradish, peeled and grated
  • 3 ounces goat chèvre
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced or diced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
  • Spicy bitter greens, such as arugula, dandelion, watercress, etc.
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
  • Mesquite charcoal

Instructions

  • Fill your grill with the mesquite charcoal and light. Make sure there is a healthy amount of charcoal, as you will need to bury the beets as best as possible in the charcoal coals. Allow charcoal to cook until it has slight white edges and embers have formed, about 20–30 minutes.
  • While the charcoal is cooking, cut the tops off the beets (about an inch from the top) and reserve any medium-small tender beet greens. When charcoal is ready, make a small nest with the coals; place the beets inside and cover with the remaining coals. (For an added smoky flavor, add some wood chips into the coals before starting the beets.)
  • Cook the beets for 30–45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes and re-covering with the coals as best you can until they have a black crust all over with small patches of white ash. They should be tender enough for a knife to penetrate but do not need to be fully cooked.
  • When ready, remove the beets from the grill and place into a metal or heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the beets to steam and cool to room temperature in the covered bowl for 1–2 hours.