How to Store Raw Beets

Selecting Beets to Store

Pick beets with fresh, unwilted greens. If you want to store beets and keep them fresh, you need to make sure you’re picking fresh ones in the first place. The leaves attached to the beetroot are the best indicator of freshness. If the greens on a beet are wilted, the beetroot is probably not very fresh, so pick another one instead. If you’re picking your own beets from a garden, you can wait until well into the cold season, even after the first frost, but your beets should be picked before the temperature goes down to 24 °F (−4 °C) at night. Put them somewhere cold immediately, rather than leaving them in the sun.

Avoid beets with obvious blemishes. Your beets should have unblemished skin. Look for a dark maroon colour, unless you're picking a different variety of beets, such as the golden ones. The tail at the bottom should be intact.

Pick beets that are firm to the touch. Softness is a sign that beets are spoiling, so pick ones that are firm. If you already have beets and find they're soft, it’s best to throw them away.

Preparing the Beets for Storage

Trim the leaves and stem. Since leaves draw moisture from the root, removing them immediately will help to keep your beets fresh longer. So before storing your beets, you should trim them, leaving about 1 to 2 in (3 to 5 cm) of stem at the top of the root. Don't trim the tail. Beet greens are edible, so you don’t have to throw them away. They can be prepared the same way as any other greens, for instance by sautéing. The greens only last in fridge up for 2 or 3 days. Since they rot more quickly, they should be stored separately from the roots.

Rub the dirt off the roots. Beets grow in the ground, and when they’re harvested they’re covered in dirt. They need to be cleaned, but not by washing, which makes them rot faster. Instead, gently rub the dirt off the root. If you do wash your beets at this point, make sure to dry them thoroughly before storing them.

Keep the beets raw and dry. Again, moisture contributes to rotting, so you should keep your beets dry if you want them to last a while. You should also store them raw, since cooked beets won’t last nearly as long.

Storing Beets in a Cold, Damp Place

Put the beets in a perforated plastic bag. Keeping your beets in a plastic bag will prevent them from becoming soft, dry, and wrinkled in the fridge. It’s best to cut small holes in the bag so that it doesn’t trap in moisture. A bag also helps prevent any juices from staining your countertop or fridge.

Place the beets in crisper drawer. The crisper in the refrigerator is the best place to keep beets fresh, along with your other vegetables. But if they won’t fit in the crisper, a shelf in the fridge will work. If you're going to use the beets within 5 days, you can leave them out at room temperature.

Check periodically that the beets are still firm to the touch. Beets will become soft if you store them too long or don’t do it properly. Check your beets periodically to make sure they’re still firm and haven’t spoiled. If they're stored properly, your beets should last between 1 and 3 months in the fridge. But it's still best to check them from time to time to make sure they haven't gone soft.

Store your beets in a root cellar if you can't use the fridge. While storing beets in the fridge is easy and effective, you can also store them in a root cellar, or anywhere else that’s cold and moist. In this case, keep your beets inside a plastic container or cooler. You can even pack the beets in peat moss, sand, or sawdust to help keep them fresh. The temperature where you're storing your beets should be 32 to 40 °F (0 to 4 °C) and the humidity should be high (about 95%).