Beet salad--raw or cokked?

The recipe seems to indicate using them raw.

Personally, I think I'd roast them first. Most people don't care for the earthiness of raw beets.

They will burn your throat if left raw.  Both the gold and the red varieties but the gold is worse in that respect.

I beg to differ wyandotte, just had raw cylinder beets for lunch.....

Grated raw beet and carrot salad is a classic. Never burned anyone's throat. 

I use them raw in salads, too.

Well, golly, maybe it's just me, then!

Cooked, beets are nicer, though.  Even in a salad.  I daresay they are more digestible?

I like my root vegetables cooked at least a little bit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyandotte 

Cooked, beets are nicer, though.  Even in a salad.  I daresay they are more digestible?

I've never had problems digesting raw vegetables like carrots or beets. As for "better", that's a matter of taste: is a carrot better cooked or raw? I like both, they just taste different. Same with beets, I don't think that cooked is better than raw, it's just a different taste. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyandotte 

Well, golly, maybe it's just me, then!

Well it's not just you.  I had never had a problem with eating beets raw but when we joined a CSA we were getting really pretty candy strip beets.  I did matchsticks of raw beets and made a beet salad but these really caused a burning in my throat like a sore throat for nearly half a day.  I had previously eaten the red beets raw without any problem.  Several of the other varieties we got from the CSA also caused this adverse effect.  So no it's not just you.  Different beets have different effects on different people.  I don't think you can call it an allergy but it is certainly a sensitivity for some.

Thank you, Scuba, for telling us about your experience with raw beets.  For me, the golden ones are the worst, so I cook them all before grating them or dicing them and adding salad dressing.

Ever made juice (with a juice extractor) of any colour of beet?  Try drinking that plain and you will be very, very sorry. 

you gotta boil up those suckers

I used to do a red, champagne and candy striped beet salad in my restaurant and they were never cook, it was probably one of my best sellers.  Always shaved thin and served with baby greens and a vinaigrette

I take raw beets through a Jap. manadline when I get "raw" food requests, for various applications. Tastes fine. Not as good as roasted with goat cheese but hey.