Burdock Root Pickles

By Shelly Rose  , , , , , ,

February 22, 2019

These gnarly roots can be wild foraged or store bought. If you choose to wild forage them, please do so safely and ensure you are 100% confident you've properly identified the root. With centuries of medicinal and culinary use, burdock is a root you don't want to pass by. The blood cleansing, liver protecting, anti-inflammatory benefits are just a bonus to what's packaged inside these brine-y, crunchy pickles. Eat them as you would any other pickle! They should last up to a month in the refrigerator. You can also steam can them if you decide to make a bigger batch for shelf storage.

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 5 mins
  • Yields: 1 pint jar of pickles

Ingredients

1 large burdock root, 14-16" long or 2 smaller ones

2 inches of ginger root, thinly sliced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

pinch of red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon diced jalapenos, optional

1/3 cup organic tamari (gluten free)

1/3 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup the leftover water from steaming the burdock

Directions

1Wash and scrub the burdock root. Trim off the ends and slice the rest into bite-sized pieces, like 2" long slabs or matchsticks. Optionally, you can peel them, but know that you'll lose some of the flavor!

2Place water in the bottom of a pan with sliced burdock in a steamer basket. Cover and steam the root for ~5 minutes. You still want it to be crisp and al dente. Save 1/3 cup of the water left in the bottom of the pan.

3Fill a pint-sized jar with the burdock slices, ginger, garlic, and peppers.

4Add the tamari, apple cider vinegar, and cooking water to fill the jar. Place a tight fitting lid on it and refrigerate for at least 3 days. Enjoy!

Recipe by Jennifer Adler, lightly adapted by Shelly Rose.

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