Jerusalem artichoke was a popular delicacy nationwide until it was supplanted by the storable potato. With great strides he is now reclaiming his deserved place. The nutty taste is hidden under a thin shell that is not easy to peel. Are there any useful tips and tricks for this?

Peeling Jerusalem artichokes is not easy

Jerusalem artichoke peel: tender and edible

Unlike the potato, Jerusalem artichoke has a very thin skin that does not interfere with eating. If you are sure that the tubers used come from organic farming, the brown to slightly purple skin can remain on.
If the shell is not desired for other reasons, it can of course be removed.

Because of the thin skin, Jerusalem artichoke tubers dry out faster than potatoes. That's why you shouldn't wait long to prepare it after harvesting or buying it.

Thoroughly remove soil

The tart artichoke, as Jerusalem artichoke is also popularly known, grows in the ground, while the parts of the plant above the ground adorn the garden with small, bright yellow flowers. The tuber is not smooth, it is much more reminiscent of ginger with its numerous branches.

Because of this uneven surface, fine bits of earth can still stick to the earth artichoke.

  • clean all tubers very thoroughly
  • preferably under cold, running water
  • use a vegetable brush

Do not skip cleaning, even if the shell is removed immediately afterwards. When peeling, soil can get onto the peeled tubers via hands and give the food an earthy taste.

Remove brown spots only

There may be some brown spots on the tubers. Even if you want to prepare Jerusalem artichoke unpeeled, these areas must first be cut out with a sharp knife. The flawless rest of the tuber can be further processed according to the recipe.

Completely remove the skin from the Jerusalem artichoke

Jerusalem artichoke is a bit difficult to peel because each tuber is more or less gnarled. Try to remove the peel thinly piece by piece. A vegetable peeler or alternatively a sharp, small knife is best suited for this. A sharp knife can be used in places where the vegetable peeler cannot reach well.

Strongly branched tubers can be peeled better if the individual branches are first separated with a sharp knife.

Boil first, then peel

Depending on the recipe, Jerusalem artichoke tubers can first be cooked as a whole and then peeled.

  1. Place the unpeeled Jerusalem artichokes in a saucepan and cover with water.
  2. Allow the tubers to cook for between 15 to 30 minutes, depending on their size.
  3. Pour off the hot water and let the tubers cool down a bit.
  4. Loosen and remove the shells with a small knife.

Processing after peeling

Jerusalem artichoke tastes good both raw in salads and in cooked dishes. Depending on the other ingredients, the taste can take on a savory or sweet note. To prevent a raw, peeled tuber from turning brown, we recommend sprinkling it with a little lemon juice.

To avoid dehydration, these bulbs should be peeled off immediately before cooking. You can also bridge short waiting times in a cold water bath.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Edibility: Jerusalem artichoke peel is very thin and tender; is not disturbing when eating
  • Tip: The skin can remain on organic tubers; otherwise it can be removed
  • Cleaning: Remove the soil from the tubers under running water with a vegetable brush
  • Brown spots: Cut out generously with a knife; Use the rest of the tuber
  • Peel: use a vegetable peeler or a sharp, small knife; Thinly peel off the peel
  • Tip: Peeling works better if you cut heavily branched tubers into sections.
  • Tip: Drizzle peeled tubers with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
  • Storage: Process peeled tubers immediately; temporarily store in the water
  • Cooking: Jerusalem artichoke can also be boiled first and then peeled
  • Process: depending on the size, boil the tubers for 15-30 minutes; then peel off the skin with a knife

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden