Smoked Beets Recipe with Goat Cheese Ranch

Ingredients

• 2 bunches fresh beets ((a bunch will contain around 3 beets, try to keep the size of the beets consistent))
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, or your favorite nut or seed (chopped almonds, sesame seeds, also work well)
• ¼ cup micro greens ((alternatively you can use arugula, butter lettuce, or endive leaves))
• 1/4 teaspoon finishing flaky salt
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons sour cream ((full fat Greek yogurt works well too))
• zest of one small lemon
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Goat Cheese Ranch ---

2. 2

   Combine ingredients in a bowl and stir to incorporate.

3. 3

   --- Smoked Beets ---

4. 4

   Preheat Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 275 – 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Try not to go above 300 if you want the smoky flavor.

5. 5

   Smoke: Place the beets in the smoker and close the lid. Continue Smoking for 2 hours or until the beets are soft. We use our Thermoworks One Thermapen to test for the texture and typically the internal temperature of the beet is around 205 – 210 degrees F. You can also test with a toothpick or knife, it should pierce with little effort.

6. 6

   Cube: Remove the beets from the smoker, and let cool for 10 minutes. Then gently peel the skins off the beets, and dice into large chunks.

7. 7

   --- To Assemble the Salad ---

8. 8

   Plate Ranch: Place the ranch on the bottom of a large plate.

9. 9

   Add Beets: In a small bowl toss the cubed beets with olive oil, pine nuts, greens, and finishing salt. Place on top of ranch dip and serve.