Michelle, in the past, I have just boiled them until tender enough to stick a fork most of the way in.
For all you beet haters out there, try roasted beets, you will sing a different tune. There are also other varieties that are more mild than the standard red beet, chiogga beets for instance and goldens are more mild as well.
Off the pickle topic but here is the recipe for roasted beets. Peel beets if the skins have dried out with a potato peeler. Dice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes, place into plastic bag, drizzle olive or canola oil over them, sprinkle in garlic powder, and onion powder, and some pepper if desired. Mix well. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for one hour or to desired crispiness. The sugars in the beets start to carmelize and the crunch is great. Be careful not to burn them as blackened beets are nasty. You can also throw in potatoes, onions, zucchini or crookneck squash. Potatoes can go in the same time as the beets but the summer squashes should be added with about 20 minutes left so as not to overcook.
Cut up about twice as many as you think will be eaten as they shrink a lot during the cooking process.
