Instructions
- Prepare burdock leaves: wash leaves thoroughly and chop coarsely, place in large saucepan with 2 or 3 inches of water in the bottom. ...
- Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl.
- Add prepared burdock leaves, chopped green onion, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Mix well.
- Pour vegetable oil into a non-stick frying pan and place on medium high heat.
- When pan is nice and hot, spoon batter into pan in patties of about 1/3 cup each. Pat down slightly to shape.
- Fry patties until golden brown, then flip to brown the other side.
- Remove cooked patties and place on a plate covered with paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
- Top with hot sauce, ketchup, cheese, or just sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and enjoy!
What do you do with burdock leaves?
Older leaves can be used to wrap other vegetables and meat to steam or cook over a fire. Burdock shoots are edible, delicious, and a bit like an artichoke.
How do you cook burdock?
To cook the stems, I start some butter in a frying pan on medium heat. You want the burdock to caramelize like onions. Cut the stem into one inch pieces, and toss them in the pan. Add some white wine, fennel, and coriander seeds. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of olive oil just as they are browning to give them a nice glaze.
How to pickle burdock?
Cut the burdock root into thin slices, lengthwise. Stack the slices on top of one another and cut again into matchstick thicknesses, as long as your pickling jar is tall. Rinse in a bowl of water. Empty the bowl and fill with fresh water. Soak for 1 hour.
How do you make burdock tea?
To make burdock tea, dry out some of your burdock root. Unlike most teas, you will not be using the leaves. Your best nutritional and supplement resource from this plant will be the root. To quick-dry a fresh root, peel the root into small strips and lay them in the sun. Once it appears dry, briefly roast the root pieces until lightly browned.
How do you prepare burdock to eat?
To cut burdock root, remove the top and bottom of the root to reveal the white inside. Depending on the dish you make, you can cut burdock root into thin rounds, small cubes, or matchsticks. The color will brown once exposed (like an apple), so place them in a bowl of water with a drop or two of vinegar or lemon juice.
What do burdock leaves taste like?
It is easy to find burdock recipes – many with an Asian flair and some quite elaborate – but I recommend starting with a simple stir fry that will allow you to get to know burdock's mild, sweet flavor. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil until beads of water just begin to sizzle. Add minced burdock root.
What part of burdock do you use?
Edible burdock parts include the petioles (leaf stems), flower stalks and roots. Remove the outer covering of petioles and stalks before cooking, as they are very bitter.
Are burdock leaves toxic?
Burdock is not toxic but because of its spiny burs it can become attached to animals fur and cause trauma.
How do you cook burdock stalks?
Burdock stalks, if boiled for just 2 minutes in salted water, retain a nice crunch. Boiled 8-10 minutes, burdock stalks get tender, but not mushy. Boiled burdock stalks can be used immediately, keep in the fridge for several days, or be put into the freezer to be enjoyed later.
Can burdock be eaten raw?
You can often find fresh burdock root at natural food stores and farmers' markets. If eating it, peel the outer layer. You can eat it raw or cooked, such as sauteed or stir-fried. You can also find it as a dried powder, in supplements, or in some skincare products.
How do you eat burdock leaves?
Burdock Leaves They tend to be bitter, but less so when they're small. What is this? Eat the Weeds suggests using large burdock leaves to wrap foods for campfire cooking. While they may not be tasty alone, they're technically edible (not toxic) and won't contribute much flavor to the foods they're wrapped around.
What is burdock leaves used for?
People take burdock to increase urine flow, kill germs, reduce fever, and “purify” their blood. It is also used to treat colds, cancer, anorexia nervosa, gastrointestinal (GI) complaints, joint pain (rheumatism), gout, bladder infections, complications of syphilis, and skin conditions including acne and psoriasis.
How do you harvest burdock leaves?
If burdock becomes too large, it will quickly become difficult to harvest, which is why it is important to harvest the plant while its young. To harvest the plant, use a shovel or garden fork. Dig a hole next tot he root so you can leverage the roots into that space.
Is burdock poisonous to humans?
The plant is considered toxic due to potential diuretic effects. In addition, leaves and stems of the plant contain lactones and may cause dermatitis in humans.
How do you make burdock tea?
To make a cup from loose herbs, place about 1 tsp. dried burdock root in a teacup, pour approximately 7 ounces of hot or boiling spring or filtered water over the herbs, and let it steep for at least 1 minute and a maximum of 20 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Strain the loose pieces and enjoy.
Is common burdock poisonous to humans?
Human: Because of its diuretic effects, common burdock has been listed as a poisonous plant (Gross et al. 1980).
How to Collect and Prepare
To collect the stems, begin by lopping off the leaves that radiate from them. Cut the stem as low as possible to the ground, and discard the very skinny top. You can keep some of the leaves’ midribs, filleting them on the spot — just strip the leaf from each midrib.
Instructions
Cut the burdock root into thin slices, lengthwise. Stack the slices on top of one another and cut again into matchstick thicknesses, as long as your pickling jar is tall. Rinse in a bowl of water. Empty the bowl and fill with fresh water. Soak for 1 hour.
Learn about and discover more edible invasives to use in your seasonal cuisine
Marie Viljoen is a forager, cook, and gardener in Brooklyn. Follow her at 66 Square Feet.
Where to Find Burdock Plants
Burdock plants tend to colonize along the edge of walking paths where both humans an animals can pick up and deposit their seeds. They stick to pant legs, shoelaces and they barb right into my fingers when I try to remove them. My two-year-old daughter picked up about a dozen burdock balls on her pants, each with dozens of individual seeds.
When to Harvest Burdock
Since Burdock is a biennial, the root is generally harvested in the fall at the end of its first year or growth or in its second spring before it sends up a shoot. In its second year of growth, burdock uses the energy reserves in its root to send up a tall flower spike.
Burdock Leaves
If you keep your eye out in the very early spring, well before the last frost, you can spot the burdock seedlings emerging from the soil before most other greenery. I spotted my burdock patch and watched them carefully for a few months before the harvest.
Burdock Roots
While burdock root may seem like a crazy wild edible, it’s actually a cultivated edible in many parts of the world. In Asian countries, it’s called Gobo, and I’ve actually seen it at our local farmer’s market. One of the farmers that sells it says he has a good demand for it, though he personally thinks it tastes like dirt.
Burdock Flower Stalks
In my opinion, the best part of burdock is the edible flower stalk. It’s tricky to catch the burdock plant at the right stage for harvest. Too late in the year and the burdock stalk will be too fibrous. Too early and there just isn’t much stalk available to harvest.
Burdock Flowers
Just about every part of the burdock plant becomes bitter and unpalatable once the plant goes to flower. I’ve wondered if the burdock flowers themselves might be edible at some stage in their development. Thistle flowers are quite similar, and they’re edible when very small before the pink portion blossoms out.
Burdock Recipes
There you have it. Every part of the burdock plant, ready for either food of medicine. If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out any of these recipes using wild foraged burdock:
Buying, Cooking, and Recipes
Linnea Covington has been writing about food for over a decade. From farmers' markets to award-winning restaurants, if the eats prove good, she's there, often trailed by her two young boys.
What Is Burdock Root?
The scientific name is Arctium lappa, and in Japan, burdock root is called gobo. But no matter what you call it, this long, brown-black root has a lot of uses.
What to Do With Burdock Root
Burdock is commonly eaten like any other root vegetable, especially in Japan. There the ingredient is called gobo, and it's prepped by slicing, roll cutting, sectioning into chunks, and julienning. The earthy flavor proves great when combined with juicy meats.
What Does Burdock Root Taste Like?
Like most roots, burdock has an earthy essence and a bit of a nutty undertone. It's warming and hearty, and if you sweeten burdock tea with honey, the bitterness of the star ingredient quells, and the brew proves quite pleasant. Added to a meal, burdock can give the dish a toothsome heft, and slight meaty nuance.
Burdock Root Recipes
You won't find many non-Japanese recipes that call for burdock root, but it can take the place of other common, bitter roots. It's mild in flavor, though the earthiness does stand out, which make chicory or lotus root the best bets when substituting for or instead of. Try it with one of these three recipes.
Where to Buy Burdock Root
Burdock isn't typically found at most supermarket chains, though many Asian stores will carry it. You can buy it fresh in the spring and late fall, or purchase it powdered or dried. The latter two ways don't make for good cooking, but you can use it in teas.
Storage
When harvested or bought fresh, you can keep burdock root like any other root vegetable, either in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark spot in the pantry or basement. It's best not to trim the ends until you're ready to use it, and certainly don't peel the root until it's time to work with it.
Growing Burdock
The most common types of burdock to plant are the Great burdock or Common burdock.
Nutritional Benefits of Burdock
The leaves, shoots, and roots of the burdock plant are all edible and contain rich nutritional value. Burdock root is used around the world due to the healing and nutritional properties that it offers. Though burdock is commonly used as a food, it is also added to different drinks, tinctures, and other herbal medicine .
Medicinal Properties of Burdock
Burdock is used as an herbal medicine around the world. Burdock root is taken as food, infused in vinegar, made into a tincture, essential oil, dried and powdered for encapsulation, and even made into tea. If you grow burdock, you may want to take advantage of a few of its uses.
Try Making Burdock Tea At Home
To make burdock tea, dry out some of your burdock root. Unlike most teas, you will not be using the leaves. Your best nutritional and supplement resource from this plant will be the root.
Is Burdock Edible?
Although many people scorn burdock as a simple backyard annoyance, if you’re a homesteader, you may have wondered from time to time whether this unique plant is edible.
What is Burdock?
A unique plant found in most areas of North America, burdock is in the same family as thistles, daisies, dandelions, and chicory. There are more than three different kinds of burdock on this continent, including varieties that are imported and those that edible.
Where is Burdock Found?
Despite being found throughout most of North America, burdock is not native to this continent. It was found originally in portions of northern Asia and Europe but now is found to an almost invasive extent in the United States. It grows prolifically, establishing itself just about anywhere it can set hold.
What are the Health Benefits of Burdock?
Burdock has a number of health benefits that should not be overlooked. For example, this plant has extensive antibacterial and antifungal properties. It also has powerful anti-cancer properties that rival those of broccoli and cabbage. It’s also a diuretic.
Are There Any Risks Associated with Eating Burdock?
There has been little formal research on the success of burdock as a medicinal treatment, so as a result, there is also little information about any potential side effects that eating burdock may have. Children, the elderly, and pregnant women are specifically cautioned to avoid eating burdock due to this lack of information.
Can I Grow Burdock?
It is easy to grow burdock at home. Because this plant is a biennial, it won’t do much during its first-year of growth – besides produce delicious roots, that is.
How is Burdock Prepared?
Most people consume the roots of the burdock plant, but you can also extract or distill the oil from the plant. In fact, burdock oil is often consumed by people who choose to take a burdock supplement.
Distinguishing Features
Burdock is best recognized as a stout, common weed with annoying burrs that stick to animal fur and clothing. This plant grows relatively tall therefore having deep roots which are brownish green, or nearly black on the outside. The basal rosette of leaves stays close to the ground the first year and the beginning of the second.
Flowers
Burdock has purple flowers on tips of prickly ball of bracts that blooms between June and October. Flower heads are 1 to 3 cm across, composed of purple disc florets surrounded by several rows of overlapping hooked bracts.
Leaves
Large, wavy, heart-shaped leaves that are green on the top and whitish on the bottom makes identification easy. Leaves can grow to 50 centimetres in size.
Habitat
Burdock thrives along river banks, disturbed habitats, roadsides, vacant lots, and fields. It grows throughout North America but not in the southern regions.
Edible Parts
First-year roots and second-year stems can be cooked by boiling for about 20 minutes, then season to taste. Before cooking however, the stems should be peeled, and roots scrubbed in order to remove the bitter rind. Immature flower stalks may also be harvested in late spring, before flowers appear; their taste resembles that of artichoke.
Recipes
Burdock Brown Rice and Mushrooms, Burdock Jelly, Burdock Root and Miso Soup, Burdock Root Soup, Burdock Shitake Rice, Wild Tonic Tea, Burdock Tuna Salad, Candied Burdock Root, Fermented Burdock and Zucchini Relish , Montreal Smoked Meat Wraps, Spicy Fried Burdock and Celery, Super Stacked Sauerkraut