Time to rethink the common burdock, a ‘nuisance’ plant that’s actually a viable food option

As food prices rise, we may need to assess the way we look at our food. This includes looking into alternative, viable food options. 

Burdock, normally seen as a nuisance by the common gardener or landscaper, is a surprisingly versatile plant. It’s astonishing to most that it is a completely edible plant.

By understanding the growing cycle of the plant and what parts are most choice and when, burdock can easily find its way on to your dinner table.

Burdock is a biennial, which refers to its two-year life cycle. In its first year of growth, recognizable by its smaller, less pronounced, heart-shaped leaves, is best harvested for its root. 

It’s a tap root, like a carrot or parsnip, which can vary in size dramatically. These roots are best used similarly to any root vegetable. Roasting, sautéing, and using it in soup are all great options, and as chips they are greatly enjoyed. 

Cut the root into chips or use a carrot peeler to thinly slice sheets of root for frying; this makes for an amazing salad topper. The root can also be dried and used for teas, though second-year growth may be used for making tea as well. 

Second-year growth also brings another harvest. The young stocks of the flowering plant can be used in many ways. 

When picking stocks in late summer to early spring, you can carefully cut away the outer celery-like layer to reveal the beautiful inner core. If you successfully remove the outer layer (which will make it bitter if left on), the flavour is reminiscent of broccoli stems and artichoke. The cores will also oxidize, so it is best place them in some water with a little vinegar or lemon juice to keep them from turning brown while you wait to prepare them.

Burdock just so happens to share some similarities to a plant known as cardoon. It is used commonly in Italy to make a variety of dishes and burdock can very easily be used as its alternative in dishes which require cardoon as an ingredient.

Ironically, cardoon is often recognized as an ornamental plant and, while it is not vilified like burdock, it is often misunderstood.

Why do we look at some plants as food and others not? Why are plants from the produce aisle given the honour of being called food and ones that grow in ditches shunned?

Better yet, why do we have such a lack of knowledge of our local viable food options?

I’m not only talking about the humble burdock. There also seems to be a vast misunderstanding of where food comes from in New Brunswick. It speaks to a greater issue.

Our current food systems are grossly mismanaged and need to be rethought. 

In a province that exports the majority of its food products and imports more than it produces for its own population, it’s apparent that we need to look into the ways we feed ourselves.

Maybe, next time, before taking the weed whacker to the burdock plants next to the porch, think about saving a couple bucks on some carrots and harvesting it instead. Even if you’re sceptical, pick it anyway, give it to someone more adventurous and your burdock problem will be less of a problem and more of a solution.