The edible parts of burdock are mainly the young leaves, flower stalks, and first-year root. One way to tell if the plant is a first-year root is to look for the characteristic burrs, as burdock only produces these in their second year. The young leaves can be eaten raw, stir-fried, boiled in two to three changes of water, or as a tea. The plant stalks can be peeled of their green skin to reveal the edible white inner core which can be eaten raw or cooked. The root of first-year plants that are less than one inch in diameter are edible, but they must be peeled and then boiled in two changes of water until tender, mainly to remove bitterness. The roots can also be roasted and ground into a coffee or pickled using a recipe similar to one for pickling okra. This plant provides forage all year long because the young leaves are best when harvested in the spring, the flower stalks in the summer, and the roots can be harvested from summer into the fall. Nutritionally, burdock root contains minerals, some calories, and vitamins C and B6. The leaves contain many other important vitamins and phytochemicals.
Burdock has quite a varied history. Historically, it was harvested and eaten as a root vegetable, which has fallen out of favor in modern European cuisine, but remains popular in Asia. Today in the United Kingdom, there exists a soft drink of dandelion and burdock that began as a hedgerow mead during the medieval period. Also interesting is that before the widespread adoption of hops as a bittering agent in beer, burdock root was used for this purpose. Other than being edible, burdock also has medicinal applications. Folk herbalists consider dried burdock to increase perspiration, remove fluids from the body, and purify the blood, with modern studies indicating that burdock root is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids.
So remember, try and eat one wild food every day, just add it to something you are already eating! If you have ideas for wild food articles or have any questions or comments, please email [email protected].