# Cooking ideas for turnips



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I was just given a big bag of turnips by a co-worker. Dug yesterday morning. No one else in the office wanted them! 

But, it's the one vegetable from my childhood I haven't made friends with yet. Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and beets I have learned to love. But I haven't dared to do much with turnips. I did roast some baby turnips from a farmer's market a few years ago and they were delicious. And DH doesn't think he likes turnips. 

Any recipe suggestions? A few are large, they rest are nice and small. I am going to try the Turnip Puff that someone posted around Thanksgiving. My sister said it was excellent.


----------



## momagoat61 (Mar 30, 2008)

I cook turnips the simple way, wash, peeled and boil on the stove top with thinly sliced onions, salt and pepper topped with bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese or sliced american cheese melted on top. Simple but delicious. You can also add bell peppers to the mix and that too is delicious. I have also thinly sliced patotoes and cooked them with the turnips topped with all of the above.


----------



## homstdr74 (Jul 4, 2011)

The only turnips we will eat are those planted late and harvested in the fall. Summer turnips are very strong and often very hot. That said, when they are nice and fresh we just boil them, then peel them and quarter them and eat them without any toppings. They are that sweet, when grown correctly.


----------



## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

Here's a recipe that has my family begging for more: Maple Glazed Turnips

I used Max's maple syrup.


----------



## susieneddy (Sep 2, 2011)

we cook them just like we do potatoes then mash them for mashed turnips


----------



## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

Peel and slice them like potatoes.....fry them with butter in an iron skillet until they are nice and brown on both sides, just stack them as they fry.....put them all back in the skillet, add a pat of butter, sprinkle with brown sugar, put on a tight lid and let them carmelize.....YUM


----------



## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I am not a big turnip fan (childhood torture )
so I mainly use them in stews.
I just cube them up and add them to the rest of the veggies, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots etc...


----------



## ginny63 (Nov 21, 2005)

Peel and quarter turnips, same with potatoes, and equal amount of cabbage, no exact measurements. Stew together til done. Salt and pepper. Serve with hot cornbread. Hillbilly Heaven


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

I like them diced, raw in salads. Makes a good raw veggie for dips, too.


----------



## M5farm (Jan 14, 2014)

get a rutabaga and cut and boil them both together. 
or 
get the person who brought the roots to you to bring you some tops and cook them all together.


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

One thing people fail to realize is that turnips MUST get a heavy frost or light freeze before they are picked. It get rid of the strong taste and they are actually very sweet after that.I love "mashed turnips and I also eat a lot raw.
I had a lady at work that wanted some so I ask her how many and she said about 30.It shocked me, but no big deal.I just couldn't figure how she could use 30 turnips.Next day she got her turnips and the truth came out. She was used to eating turnips when they were only 2" diameter and I grow mine to 6-8" diameter.That was on a Friday so Monday I ask her about the turnips and she said she had a party to cater and made a veg, tray and some fancy lady said "Oh look, shes got ????? (some name I've never heard of) and everyone went nuts over the turnips and they didn't even know they were turnips.True story!

Wade


----------



## hercsmama (Jan 15, 2004)

Check these out!
http://foodgawker.com/page/2/?s=turnips


----------



## StaceyS (Nov 19, 2003)

I add them to my beef stew like potatoes, yum! Haven't had them in years though. I wish I had a coworker like yours!


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Thank you all so much! 

I didn't know turnips were sweeter after the frost, duh, me, who ALWAYS leaves her carrots in until after the first frost : ) and harvests her parsnips all winter long. I thawed a sirloin tip roast, thought beef would stand up well to turnips. I definitely have enough for a few different recipes!


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Since we're on turnips I thought I'd add this previous post.Turnips are the easies thing to grow in the garden('sept maybe weeds). Enjoy!
Wade

We raise a lot of potatoes.A crop early,summer and late. The summer crop get's harvested in august.A lot of people use the space from their summer crop of potatoes to start the fall garden.A few trips through the rows with the tiller ,level and rake,mark off new rows, bla,bla,bla .I used to be all caught up in that but one hot august day I was trying to beat the rain to get my turnips planted and I was loosing. When those big old sprinkles started smacking me all I had gotten done was the potatoes dug,still sitting out in a bucket.
Having a pack of seed with me I opened it up and just started throwing it down the row,grabbed the potatoes and headed in.It turned out to be a great crop of turnips.Learning from this experience I now do just that in planting fall garden! Turnips,radishes,lettuce,onions,carrots. About anything that doesn't require being sown deep!The seed that end up on high ground will make if the weather is too wet and the seed landing on low ground will make if it's too dry A little fert. just before a rain and good to go.It even woorks good for peas also but you will have to straw them. Just thought I'd pass it on! Enjoy and good luck gardening!


----------



## dixiegal62 (Aug 18, 2007)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/01/sunday-night-stew/

This stew is really good but it only uses 2 large turnips. We eat it with cheddar biscuits. I also just use turnips in regular beef stew.


----------



## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

My wife and I slice them thin and broil them with olive oil and salt. To us, they are best, when almost crispy.


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

The turnip puff was fantastic! DH loved it and had seconds and then whined when I packed up the rest for my work lunch. He now has an open mind for trying all the rest of the turnip recipes...


----------



## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

I firstly dice up a couple Brown "yellow" onions which I fry in a little butter, I peel them (about 4 large)turnip, dice them, add a little nutmeg salt & black pepper in to 2 to 3 liters of Veggie or chicken stock & boil until soft, add 600ml of cream and stab blend up into a creamy soup. lovely on a chilly evening. MM


----------



## Mickey (Aug 28, 2002)

Vosey said:


> The turnip puff was fantastic! DH loved it and had seconds and then whined when I packed up the rest for my work lunch. He now has an open mind for trying all the rest of the turnip recipes...


Hi Vosey, Can you post or pm me that turnip puff recipe?


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

http://www.kitchenparade.com/2006/11/turnip-puff.php

Here's the link. It was from a wonderful Thanksgiving thread on this forum.


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Possum Belly said:


> My wife and I slice them thin and broil them with olive oil and salt. To us, they are best, when almost crispy.


Made these tonight with a fat parsnip sliced as well. Very good, although I sliced them a little thin, they sort of dissolved!

Still have some left for a few more of the ideas here. And I just ordered some turnip seeds!


----------



## Mickey (Aug 28, 2002)

Thanks Vosey  I just happen to have some turnips in the fridge and can't wait to try this.


----------



## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

We cube them and roast them together with all our other fall roots (under the roast or bird to catch drippings).

Turnips are also good shredded and mixed in with cabbage for slaw or kraut.


----------



## gimpy (Sep 18, 2007)

I've never had a good tasting turnip so my recipe is to feed them to animals and then eat the animal. I have this hope that I've never had one prepared well and maybe had them picked out of season. What would I look for at the grocery store to tell a good one from a bad one.


----------



## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

I like to peel, chop, and boil with a tater or two. Sometimes, I'll add a boullion cube, and I always add BUTTER!! and salt, pepper.

I like turnips. By themselves or any other way.
Rutabegas, cooked same way.


----------



## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

gimpy said:


> I've never had a good tasting turnip so my recipe is to feed them to animals and then eat the animal. I have this hope that I've never had one prepared well and maybe had them picked out of season. What would I look for at the grocery store to tell a good one from a bad one.


I think the key is not to get them at a grocery store, I think that's why I always thought they were awful!


----------

