Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to preserve fiddlehead ferns? ›

Blanch the fiddleheads for two (2) minutes. Plunge the fiddleheads into cold water, and then drain. Discard the blanching water. Pack the drained fiddleheads in freezer containers or bags.

Cook fiddleheads in a generous amount of boiling water for 15 minutes, or steam them for 10 to 12 minutes until tender. Discard the water used for boiling or steaming the fiddleheads. Cook fiddleheads before sautéing, frying, baking, or using them in other foods like mousses and soups.

The fiddleheads of cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), and bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) can also be eaten, but all are at least mildly toxic and can cause nausea, dizziness, and headache, so it's probably best to avoid them.

Fiddleheads freeze well and can be pickled and canned using a boiling water bath canner. There are food safety concerns with eating fiddleheads—the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports several cases of food-borne illness associated with improperly prepared fiddleheads.

Just give them a rinse before cooking. Fiddleheads can also be frozen, although it is suggested to blanch them before freezing in order to preserve their texture. You can do this by boiling the fiddleheads for two to three minutes, plunging them into cold water, draining them, and then freezing them in sealed bags.

Blanching. The tried and true method for cooking fiddleheads is blanching. Although you can cook fiddleheads by simply putting them in a pan, it's not ideal as it's easy to overcook them, have them soak up too much oil, or turn black in spots from uneven heat. Blanch fiddleheads to keep them green.

Fiddlehead ferns are high in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which are often found in so-called "superfoods." They can be especially good for people who don't eat fish, which are also high in essential fatty acids. Potassium. One serving of fiddlehead ferns provides about 11% of the daily potassium you need.

Fiddleheads before being cleaned and blanching don't look appetizing. But after rubbing off the papery brown scales, soaking them, and blanching them in boiling water (which will turn dark like tea), you'll remove all bitterness and be left with sweet sprouts that rival asparagus in flavor.

Health Canada recommends boiling them for 15 minutes or steaming them for 10-12 minutes prior to eating, sauteing, or adding them as an ingredient to other recipes. Undercooked fiddleheads may cause symptoms of foodborne illness, which may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or headache. Never eat them raw!

Outdoor enthusiasts are at a high risk of poisonous side effects after ingestion of wild and raw edible fiddlehead ferns, such as the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and bracken (Pteridium genus) species, in the United States and Canada.

How to tell if fiddleheads are edible? ›

It has a distinctive brown paper-like sheath on the fiddlehead when it emerges from the ground. As the fern frond uncoils the brown paper husk flakes away. So it there is no brown papery covering, it's either not an ostrich fern or it's an ostrich fern too mature to eat.

Health Benefits of Fiddleheads

They contain high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can help to reduce cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure. Fiddleheads can also promote digestive health. They are a rich source of fiber, which can help to regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.

Step 1: Clean Fiddleheads

I take a two-step cleaning process before I start cooking them—first, I rinse them a few times through running water, then I soak them in a bowl of water for at least 10 minutes before rinsing again. You can also choose to cut off any browned or very long ends.

While fiddleheads can stay in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, it's best to eat them within a few days for maximum freshness and quality. You can also blanch and freeze fresh fiddleheads if you want to enjoy them later in the season. Frozen fiddleheads keep for up to one year.

Short-term Storage

Remember to keep fiddleheads refrigerated until you are ready to cook or preserve them. They can be stored in the refrigerator, but should be consumed or preserved within a week or less for best quality.

Because they need to be picked before they unfurl into the large fronds of the fern, the fiddlehead picking season is short (only about 4 to 6 weeks long!) so be sure not to snooze on this long-standing Maine tradition. They are best to harvest when they are about 2 to 6 inches tall.

Rinse the fiddle heads thoroughly. Drain, and repeat this process 3-4 times, taking time to agitate the water. Repeat until all the dirt and husks have been cleaned away. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Fiddleheads are at their best right after picking, and will last in your fridge about a week. They can also be frozen for up to a year. And they are nutritional powerhouses with significant amounts of vitamins A and C, niacin, and potassium, not to mention having heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.