Sourced from Fry Farm
Beets - Badger Flame 5lb
Beets - Badger Flame 5lb
Developed through the chef-driven breeding program at Row 7 Seed Company, Badger Flame is a beet that challenges nearly every expectation people have about beets. Unlike traditional red varieties, Badger Flame was selected specifically for its sweetness, texture, and remarkably low geosmin content—the naturally occurring compound responsible for the earthy flavor that many people associate with beets. The goal was to produce a beet made to be eaten raw.
The roots are a brilliant sunset orange inside and out, holding their color beautifully through cooking. Their flavor is clean and vibrant, leaning more toward sweet carrot and roasted sweet potato than conventional beet. Even guests who insist they “don’t like beets” often find themselves converted.
Matt Fry grows these with the same deliberate soil management and harvest timing that define all of his crops. The result is dense, highly hydrated roots with exceptional consistency and outstanding eating quality.
Flavor & Texture
- Naturally sweet with very low earthiness
- Crisp and juicy raw
- Dense, creamy texture when roasted
- Brilliant orange flesh that retains its color through cooking
For the Kitchen
- Roast whole and finish with cultured butter or brown butter
- Shave raw into salads where their sweetness can shine
- Grill or smoke lightly for added depth
- Pair with citrus, chèvre, yogurt, pistachio, or hazelnut
- Excellent for purées that remain vividly orange
Badger Flame wasn’t bred simply to look different—it was bred to taste better, proving how modern plant breeding can improve flavor without sacrificing character.
RECIPES
SALT-ROASTED BADGER FLAME BEETS WITH GREEN CORIANDER AND RICOTTA
BY RENEE ERICKSON (SEATTLE, WA)
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 cup cilantro leaves, tightly packed
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, tightly packed
1⁄4 cup fresh green coriander seeds or 2 tablespoons of toasted coriander seeds
3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
21⁄4 cup good quality white wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1 box kosher salt
10 badger flame beets, stems removed
12 ounces fresh ricotta (preferably bellwether farms)
cilantro flowers, for garnish (optional)
maldon salt, for garnish
RECIPE
- Put the Dijon, cilantro, parsley, green coriander seeds, olive oil, garlic and 1⁄4 cup of the white wine vinegar into a blender and pulse to get it moving. Turn on high and blend until smooth. Add a touch of water if it’s too stiff to blend, but do not overmix. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the pistachios for about 10 minutes—they should still be chewy once cooled. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix the entire box of kosher salt with the remaining white wine vinegar. Spread the wet salt on a baking sheet and place all but 1 beet on the salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place in the oven and roast for 30-45 minutes (larger beets will take longer), until the beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife. Set aside to cool.
- Once cool, peel off the skins by rubbing them with your hands, then cut the beets into wedges.
- Peel the skin off the remaining uncooked beet and shave it on a mandolin into thin rounds. Salt the slices lightly and set aside.
- In a food processor, whip the ricotta on high for about 10 minutes, or until shiny and smooth.
- To serve, toss the roasted and sliced raw beets in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread the ricotta onto a platter, leaving a well in the middle. Spoon some of the coriander vinaigrette into the well, followed by half the beets and half the pistachios. Repeat with more spoonfuls of the coriander vinaigrette and the rest of the beets and pistachios. Garnish with cilantro flowers and a sprinkle of Maldon salt.
SALT ROASTED BADGER FLAME BEETS
Serves 6-9 as a side
INGREDIENTS
- 6-8 medium Badger Flame beets, peels left on
- 1 box (3 pounds) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
RECIPE
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Cover the bottom of a half-size hotel pan or large casserole dish with about an inch of salt. Place the beets evenly over the salt without letting them touch, then cover them thoroughly with another inch or so of salt, gently pressing down as you go and ensuring no beet skins are showing through.
Roast for about 1 hour or until tender—a paring knife poked through the salt crust should give easily once it hits the beets. Cool at least 10 minutes before digging out the beets and removing their skins with a clean tea towel or cloth napkin. Slice the beets into wedges, and serve them alongside a variety of condiments and garnishes such as horseradish crème fraîche, fresh dill, garlicky mayonnaise, salsa verde, chili crisp and fried shallots.
Badger Flame Beet Slaw with Mustardy Dressing
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds Badger Flame beets, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound crunchy veg such as celery root, carrot, fennel and/or cabbage, peeled (if necessary) and thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Large handful of soft herbs (parsley, dill, cilantro or chervil), chopped
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, peeled and microplaned or minced
1 small shallot, minced
½ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Place the sliced vegetables, onion and herbs in a large bowl.
While rapidly whisking, slowly pour in a thin stream of the olive oil to emulsify it into the dressing; alternatively, make the dressing in a blender, slowly pouring the olive oil into the other ingredients while the blender is running.
Pour some of the dressing over the vegetables, and toss the slaw together. Taste, then season with more dressing, salt and/or pepper if desired.
