Grandma’s Beets n’ Bacon

You asked. I’m delivering.

I like to post about my German heritage, particularly about my German grandmother’s cooking. I loved to watch Grandma Steinhage cook even though she could barely speak English and I didn’t know any German. But somehow we communicated with gestures, pointing, smiles, and a word here or there. Grandma cooked authentic German dishes and I’ve tried to imitate them in my adult years. Sadly, I had far too little time with her (she died when I was in middle school) and she never used recipes so there’s no record of how she did things.

Using instinct, scattered memories, and some help from the internet, I’ve been able to come up with some halfway-decent reconstructions. They may not be perfect, but they remind me of Grandma all the same. They are my comfort food, and I make them especially when I’m missing my Dad (he died when I was 15) or my Grandma.

My most recent social media post was of a big pot of Grandma’s Beets n’ Bacon I had made. I’m not even sure if that’s what Grandma called them, but it’s how I refer to them. I received multiple requests for the recipe, and it made me chuckle. I don’t have a recipe! I eyeball, taste, and adjust everything when I cook, especially when I make Grandma’s dishes. Below is my best effort to recipe-ize Grandma’s Beets n” Bacon. Enjoy!

Grandma Steinhage’s Beets n’ Bacon

Ingredients

5 large beets, green included

1/4-1/2 c apple cider vinegar (to taste – more vinegar = more tang)

1 tsp sugar (white or brown) or 1 tsp honey

1/2 lb crisp fried bacon, crumbled (add more as desired)

1 large or 2 medium onions

2-3 Tbsp olive or coconut oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Fry bacon until crispy, drain and chop or crumble into pieces.
2. Wash beets and greens thoroughly.
3. Cut greens from beets, set aside.
4. Peel and cut beets into 1 1/2-inch squares.
5. Peel and chop onion(s) into 1-inch pieces.
6. Put onions and beets in a large pot, add 1 cup water, steam until tender.
7. While beets and onions steam, chop the greens – stems and all – into small pieces.
8. When soft, drain beets and onions.
9. Add oil and chopped greens and stems.
10. Saute until greens and stems are tender.
11. Add bacon, vinegar, and sugar or honey.
12. Toss until well coated.
13. Cook on medium-low 5 minutes more.
14. Serve warm.

Admittedly, this recipe is pretty sketchy. I cook by eyesight, personal preference, whims, and taste, but I think the above recipe is fairly reliable. I encourage you to give it a try. If you have any questions, feel free to message me on social media or email me at marge@margefenelon.com. I’ll do my best to help you.

Try it yourself and let me know how it turns out!

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