One of the best ways to cook a beet is to wash it and place in aluminum foil and bake in the oven like a baked potato. It has such a rich flavor especially if you top it with butter, salt and pepper when it's done. Just take a fork or knife and if it goes through the skin and into the meat of the beet easily it's done! You can boil it in water too but baking it prevents it from being watery.