Hunting Washington Forum
Community => Butchering, Cooking, Recipes => Topic started by: The scout on April 22, 2020, 08:24:06 AM
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So every for about the last ten years around now I see a few vehicles parked on the side of the road, they are for sure not brush pickers. I’m pretty sure they are picking the fern shoots. Not that it matters much but they are Asians, which for one is rare to see in my neck of the woods, and also if they are eating them I don’t necessarily trust that I would like them. So anybody pick these and are they good? If so How do you prepare them. I do tons of mushroom hunting with my kids, and seems like another good way to get outdoors if they are decent.
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The only way I have had them is pickled over in Vermont, and per Pman, the eastern coastal varieties are a bit more tender, IIRC.
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On the westside we have lady ferns and bracken ferns. Bracken ferns are tasty but require par boiling and draining. Even then, may not be healthy to eat that’s debatable.
Lady ferns are ok but not as tasty imo.
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I have always wanted to try them but never have. I didn't realize fiddle heads were so popular, even Martha Stewart has a recipe
https://www.marthastewart.com/338808/sauteed-fiddlehead-ferns
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Not stating this as gospel but I’ve read that only ostrich ferns are safe to eat. All other ferns are not safe for consumption. Ostrich fiddleheads should be tightly curled with short tails. Best picked in the morning when they are still crisp. Boil them in salt water for several minutes, plunge into cold water then drain. Mix them with some soy sauce, peanut butter and a little sugar. Enjoy?
I’m not sure if we have any ostrich variety in Wa. I believe they can only be found in BC.
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We would eat them when I lived in Alaska. Would saute them in butter or steam them. Their taste is similar to asparagus. I'm not crazy about them but they were fun forage eating.
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Got a batch a few years ago from Albertsons. They tasted great kind of like brocolini but half way through dinner my wife put her silverware down. She asked me if I felt ok and I really didn't at that point. Needless to say we both spent the next 5 hours executing the double dragon. I have never ever been that sick in my life. Anyways even seeing them now makes me shudder. Be careful with them.
