Despite its’ name, Jerusalem artichokes have no connection to Jerusalem and are not an artichoke, but they are very versatile and good to eat.
This spring, I acquired a few pots of Jerusalem artichokes (Helianthus tuberosus). Honestly, I had heard of them and seen them growing along a few roadsides, but didn’t really know anything about them, so I decided to do a little research. They are in the genus Helianthus, the same genus as sunflowers. I planted them and they grew very nice foliage, their leaves looked like sunflower leaves and they had yellow flowers, which were quite prolific, blooming late in the season. I liked the flowers as they bloomed well after my other sunflowers.
Jerusalem artichokes are native to eastern North America and some historians think they may have originated in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys. Native Americans grew them along with corn and beans. Despite its’ name, they have no connection to Jerusalem and are not an artichoke. They are often called sunchokes and cultivated for their nutritious and fleshy tuber.
A tuber is an underground swollen stem. Jerusalem artichokes’ tubers can be brown, white, red or purple. Their inner flesh is white. The tuber is a knobby root that resembles ginger. The tubers are smaller, sweeter and crisper than potatoes. They have a nutty flavor and good nutritional value. They can be eaten raw or cooked. They have a high level of inulin, which is a prebiotic fiber with medicinal properties. It can stimulate growth of bifidobacteria, which fights harmful bacteria and helps reduce certain carcinogenetic enzymes.
Jerusalem artichokes are very versatile. You can eat them raw or cooked. They can be mashed, roasted or sautéed. They can be dried and ground into flour.
Here are a few more things I learned about this native crop:
- Native AmericanscultivatedJerusalem artichokesas a food source.
- They are grown in many parts of the world. Each root can produce up to 75 and as many as 200 tubers during a year.
- This is a perennial vegetable, which means you don’t have to replant it every year; it seeds itself again and again. It doesn’t need much care while it’s growing. All you have to do is reap the harvest at the end of the season.
- They can become invasive and will grow in any type of soil and with little water.
- Research has shown that the tubers contain more protein than soybeans, corn, wheat or beans. It also contains small levels of some valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and thiamin.
- Jerusalem artichokes are a very good source of minerals and electrolytes, especiallypotassium,iron and copper.
- They can also be used as animal feed. You can feed the leaves, stems and blossoms to your sheep, goats, pigs and cattle. The leaves and stems contain 28 percent protein. That’s more than twice the amount of protein in corn.
With the three Jerusalem artichokes I planted, I enjoyed lush foliage that was a great screen and had awesome yellow flowers late in the season. I also harvested a large amount of tubers, and fed my cattle the foliage, which they enjoyed.
Oven Caramelized Jerusalem Artichokes recipe
This is the recipe I used for my first venture into cooking with Jerusalem artichokes. They were quite tasty.
- Serves: 4
- Preparation time: 1 hour
- Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Jerusalem artichokes
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation steps
- Step 1.Rinse the Jerusalem artichokes under running water and rub to remove any obvious surface grit.
- Step 2.Put the artichokes in a large bowl, add enough cold water to cover and add lemon juice. Let the Jerusalem artichokes soak for about 45 minutes.
- Step 3.Scrub the soaked artichokes with a vegetable brush to remove any loosened dirt. Trim 1/8 inch off the cut end and the tips of any nodules that appear rough or “dirty.” Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and return to the cold water/lemon bath.
- Step 4.Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 5.In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drain the artichokes, dry them with a towel and add them to the olive oil mixture. Toss to coat completely and dump the entire contents of the bowl onto a large baking sheet, turning each artichoke cut side down. Roast for 45 minutes on the center rack of the oven.
- Step 6.When done, let them cool for a couple of minutes and then use a metal pancake turner to transfer to a serving platter.
Serve alone as you would with roasted potatoes or with your favorite dipping sauce.
For more information on interesting roots you can eat, you might enjoy “Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes” by Diane Morgan. In this book, Morgan explores the fascinating world of culinary roots.
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FAQs
Roast them whole like mini jacket potatoes at 180C, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Split them open, and drizzled with chilli oil or your favourite yoghurt and lemon dip. For a full recipe, give this roasted Jerusalem artichoke with miso butter a go!
What do Jerusalem artichokes do to your digestive system? ›
The vegetable is made of a carbohydrate called inulin, he explained, instead of the tuber's typical starch, and inulin has an Ex-Lax-like effect on the human digestive system—we can't digest it naturally, so our gut bacteria go to town.
How do you cook Jerusalem artichokes to avoid flatulence? ›
The blog goes on: “Modern science concurs — 'Boiling Jerusalem artichokes in an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar will hydrolyze the inulin to fructose and small amounts of glucose'.” The blogger subsequently boiled “quarter-inch-thick sunchoke slices for 15 minutes in just enough lemon juice to cover them.
Can you eat all of the Jerusalem artichokes? ›
What part of a Jerusalem artichoke do you eat? The whole of a Jerusalem artichoke is edible, so there's no need to discard any. They can be eaten cooked or raw.
Should I refrigerate Jerusalem artichokes? ›
This is not the best way to store Jerusalem artichokes. They should at least be refrigerated; it's best, in fact, to store them at just above freezing. They also need high humidity during storage. Some people pack them in moist sand or soil in a box or bucket set in a cool place.
Should you peel Jerusalem artichokes? ›
Just scrub them clean - there's no need to peel them (should you wish to, a teaspoon works well). If you do peel them, drop them into acidulated water until you're ready to use them because the flesh discolours quickly. Keep an eye on them while cooking as they can turn to mush quite quickly.
What are the side effects of Jerusalem artichoke? ›
The significant side effect of Jerusalem Artichokes is the presence of dietary inulin fibre. As this substance is non-digestible, there are chances that people are intolerant to it. Thus, people intolerant to inulin may experience indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and flatulence.
Are Jerusalem artichokes healthier than potatoes? ›
They are rich in iron to give you energy, along with potassium and vitamin B1, which support your muscles and nerves. Although they're sweet, their starchy fibre stops any spikes in blood sugar levels – indeed they have a lower glycemic index (GI) score than potatoes – and they aren't fattening.
Is Jerusalem artichoke inflammatory? ›
Therefore, this study aimed to identify a bioactive compound from Jerusalem artichoke leaves with anti-inflammatory activity that might prevent atherosclerosis. Heliangin inhibits inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophages via the NF-κB pathway [15].
What happens when you eat too many Jerusalem artichokes? ›
Jerusalem artichoke is generally considered safe to eat. 17 However, for some people, its high inulin content can cause digestive discomfort (the vegetable has a reputation for causing a lot of gas). If this happens to you, you may want to limit how much you eat, at least until your body gets used to it.
There's a reason sunchokes have attracted the charming sobriquet of "fartichoke," and it's called inulin—a carbohydrate that our bodies can't digest, leaving bacteria to pick up the slack and resulting in some pretty antisocial gut activity, including abdominal cramping, gas, and diarrhea.
Why do artichokes hurt my stomach? ›
Being especially rich in fiber, artichokes can slow our digestion down, producing gases. This can make people who are prone to gas and flatulence feel worse. Consume them in moderation!
What is a good substitute for sunchokes? ›
Water chestnuts will be an excellent substitute for sunchokes for a crisp texture, mild, and sweet flavor. Since their flavor is neutral, water chestnuts will fit well into any recipe that you're using sunchokes. They work very well in stir-fry dishes.
What is the difference between sunchokes and Jerusalem artichokes? ›
A member of the sunflower family, sunchokes — also called Jerusalem artichokes — are tubers that have no actual relation to artichokes, or Jerusalem for that matter, and are commonly grown in North America.
What is another name for Jerusalem artichokes? ›
The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), also called sunroot, sunchoke, wild sunflower, topinambur, or earth apple, is a species of sunflower native to central North America.
What does Jerusalem artichoke do for the body? ›
Jerusalem artichokes are rich in many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, iron, and potassium. Boost gut health. They are also rich in an important fiber called inulin. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber that feeds your good gut bacteria and improves the balance of your gut microbiome.
What are the after effects of Jerusalem artichoke? ›
Artichoke can cause side effects such as gas, upset stomach, and diarrhea.
Do I have to peel sunchokes? ›
Like many root vegetables, sunchokes should be thoroughly washed and scrubbed with a vegetable brush before eating and cooking. A sunchoke's skin is edible, so you don't need to peel them, but sunchokes are often peeled prior to making dishes such as soups or purees to ensure a more uniform texture.
Here are a few more things I learned about this native crop: