This earthy, schmaltzy side dish is delicious in its simplicity, really letting the beets shine. This is one of my go-to recipes after roasting a chicken and reserving that precious schmaltz and chicken skin. The schmaltz (Yiddish for chicken fat) lends a depth that standard cooking oils just can’t. The gribenes (Yiddish for fried chicken skins) packs a salty, crispy punch that you won’t soon forget, and that I believe transforms the dish from a respectable side into a stand-out favorite.
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First, preheat the oven to 375°F. Take a sheet of aluminum foil and lay the beets in the middle of it. Drizzle the olive oil over the beets and then sprinkle the salt on top.
Tightly wrap the aluminum foil around them so they will cook in their own steam. Bake for at least 45 minutes, until a knife easily slides through the largest beet when you test it.
Remove the beets from the oven and open the aluminum pouch. Put the beets into the ice water bath until cool. Remove them and dry them with paper towels (because they WILL stain your towels).
Remove the skin by gently rubbing it and peeling it off. This should be easy once the beets have cooled down.
Cut the beets into 1″ chunks and set aside.
Heat the schmaltz in a skillet over medium heat, spreading it around the pan until it’s hot. Add the beets and cook for about 5 minutes or until cooked through, shaking the pan occasionally to make sure all of the beets are covered in schmaltz and that none of them are sticking to the pan.
Once the beets are hot, add the salt and pepper to taste, and let them cook for another minute to incorporate the flavors. Remove them from the heat and put them into your serving bowl or dish.
Add the chicken skin pieces to the skillet, leaving a little room between the pieces. Fry them for about a minute on each side.
Remove from the heat and use to garnish the beets. Serve hot.
Roasted Beets with Gribenes
Ingredients
- 4 large beets, scrubbed, with tops and roots removed
- 1½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 qt ice water
- 2 tsp schmaltz
- ⅓ cup gribenes, chopped
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt, plus extra to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Take a sheet of tin foil and lay the beets in the middle of it. Drizzle the olive oil over the beets and then sprinkle the salt on top. Tightly wrap the aluminum foil around them so they will cook in their own steam. Bake for at least 45 minutes, until a knife easily slides through the largest beet when you test it.
- Remove the beets from the oven and open the aluminum pouch. Put the beets into the ice water bath until cool. Remove them and dry them with paper towels (because they WILL stain your towels).
- Remove the skin by gently rubbing it and peeling it off. This should be easy once the beets have cooled down. Cut the beets into 1" chunks and set aside.
- Heat the schmaltz in a skillet over medium heat, spreading it around the pan until it's hot. Add the beets and cook for about 5 minutes or until cooked through, shaking the pan occasionally to make sure none of the beets are sticking to the pan.
- Once the beets are hot, remove them from the heat and put them into your serving bowl or dish.
- Add the chicken skin pieces to the skillet, leaving a little room between the pieces. Fry them for about a minute on each side. Remove from the heat and use to garnish the beets. Serve hot.