Japanese Knotweed Vinegar

Add a splash of Spring to your next meal with Japanese knotweed infused vinegar! Citrusy, punchy, and pink – what’s not to love?
category
Recipe
Author
Foraged
date
03.16.23
read time
1 minutes

Overview:

Prep Time
2 minutes
Active Time
2880 minutes
Total Time
2882 minutes
Course
Condiment, How To
Cuisine
Foraged, Wild

INGREDIENTS:

Japanase Knotweed Vinegar Ingredients
- 1 cup lightly flavored vinegar - *a mildly flavored vinegar like white wine, champagne, or rice is ideal, but you can use white vinegar in a pinch - just dilute it by using 3/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup of water
- 1/2 cup chopped Japanese knotweed

Preparation:

Step 1 - Add chopped japanese knotweed to vinegar and refrigerate

1. Place chopped knotweed in a jar and cover with vinegar. Store in the refrigerator and infuse for at least 48 hours, until the vinegar turns pink and takes on the bright flavors of the knotweed.

Add chopped japanese knotweed to vinegar and refrigerate
Add chopped japanese knotweed to vinegar and refrigerate
Step 2 - Strain out knotweed pieces

2. Strain the knotweed pieces and reserve for another use.

Strain out knotweed pieces
Strain out knotweed pieces

What does Japanese Knotweed Taste Like?

To put it simply: they taste like a more vegetal version of rhubarb! The flavor is sour and green, and the texture is crunchy and succulent. Use it where you’d use rhubarb, or anywhere you want a bright, punchy, and tart flavor. When infused into a vinegar, the flavor becomes quite citrusy and a bit floral – dare we say, like lemon juice?

How do I Prepare Japanese Knotweed?

Like any foraged green, proper preparation is key. Ants love Japanese Knotweed, so first be sure to thoroughly rinse the stalks. Then, remove leaves and tips from the knotweed – the best part is the stalks.

How to use Japanese Knotweed infused Vinegar

This is a well-rounded, go-to vinegar for most culinary applications. Use it as you would lemon juice or apple cider vinegar – but expect its own unique flavor and pink color!

Try it in our morel caesar salad recipe!

make something wild

Need some inspiration or insight on how to use your new goods? We got it.