Cut off the beet top and save for boiling or
puree or gumbo. Soak the Beets in cold fresh water and wash well, taking off every particle of earth that may adhere. Wash them carefully, without scraping them. If the Beet is very tender, it will cook in an hour. Older Beets require all the way from three to four hours, according to size. If the Beet is wilted or tough,