Scrub new beets, that is, those freshly pulled. Cut off the stalks three
inches from the beets, put them into four quarts or more of boiling,
salted water, boil five minutes, and put them into a cooker for five
hours or more. Old beets, if wilted, should be soaked till firm, and
cooked as new beets. They will require six or more hours according to
their age and condition. When sufficiently cooked the skin of beets will
easily slip off. Remove them from the water one by one, peel and slice
them. Serve them with butter, pepper, and salt. If they cool while
slicing them, reheat them before serving.