Lets talk Hop Asparagus.

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Here is what I know.

Hop aspraragus is young hop shoots.

The Hop shoot is tender and delicate and is usually eaten in a similar way to traditional asparagus - quickly steamed or boiled and served with butter or lemon juice - although there are a number of more exotic recipes for this vegetable. With a short season, until around the end of May,

Hop Asparagus is called Jets de Houblon in Belgium.

In this article it says that the shoots are harvested early before flowering. I'm not sure how much one could harvest without putting your hop flower harvest at risk or if you might be able to get away with a late harvest if your intention is to pickle. (See Below)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4558643.stm


Pickled
I recently saw pickled Hop Asparagus, made by HopsDirect.com (Peterbaugh Farms), used in Bloody Marys at the Milwaukee Ale House. It was very similar to having a pickled spear of asparagus and had a similar stringy texture.

There was no bitter flavor at all (Why would there be, after all).

I looked at the hopsdirect site and so no mention of the product. I took a picture of the jar with my cell phone, so maybe I can post a pic later.

So my questions to the veteran harvesters are...

1) Is there an opportunity to harvest some shoots early?
2) Do we think that older shoots can be pickled and still retain some quality?
 
Haven't tried eating them, but when your hops get to be 3 years old, you will be cutting shoots with a weedwacker! I've got about 20 shoots on the Cascades alone.

I let them go until they hit 3 feet, then I cut down all but 2-3 shoots. They keep coming back until the rainy season is over, late May, early June.
 
That's outstanding, Olllllo. I love asparagus and this will be an excellent use of the 'extras'. It would never have dawned on me to eat them otherwise.
 
Mmm, I can't wait for this. It will probably become another of my Springtime favorites alongside Nettle.
 
I'm about to harvest some. I suggest waiting untill the plant is a few years old so the shoots are of a worthy size. They need to be harvested early so they are tender.

I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Here is my admittedly bad phone picture.

033008_14281.jpg
 
I will definitely be harvesting the first shoots from my plants this year and trying them out. I looked last night and I've probably got a dozen shoot tips poking up from each plant. My asparagus has yet to show any signs of activity.
 
pjj2ba said:
I will definitely be harvesting the first shoots from my plants this year and trying them out. I looked last night and I've probably got a dozen shoot tips poking up from each plant. My asparagus has yet to show any signs of activity.

My Brewer's Gold is just peeking it's head out. My Asparagus is still not showing. Garlic is up.
 
Hop shoots were a seasonal feature on the menu at 't Fornuis in Antwerp, Belgium. Season only lasted a few weeks as the shoots deteriorate quickly once harvested. These were more like wild asparagus than the more common farmed asparagus spears. The hop shoots were served simply as a side dish whereas new season asparagus would be served as a starter.
 
I was browsing the hopsdirect site and this is back. I am wondering and thinking of trying my own. Anyone have a pickling recipe they want to give away :)
 
Here is a recipe I found in Michael Jackson's Beer Companion.
Jets-De-Houblone
Serves 4
14oz/1 3/4 cups hop shoots
pinch of salt
juice of half a lemon
4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 eggs
croutons and parsley, to garnish
For the Mousseline Sauce:
2 egg yolks
salt, freshly ground pepper
7oz./1 3/4 sticks butter, clarified

wash hop shoot, and trim off hard tips,
boil in water, salt, and lemon juice until tender ,
Drain; Divide into four plates, and pour cream over each plate,
place in oven while you prepare the eggs
Eggs[/U
poach eggs lightly, and keep warm in a bowl of hot water
Sauce: whisk egg yolks,salt,pepper,drops of cold water over low heat, until frothy. If the eggs become too hot they will curdle; to prevent this happening, remove from heat time to time-but keep whisking.
Gradually add the clarified butter(about 1/2 cup after clarified), whisking continuously until the sauce is thickened and mousse-like.
Add drops of lemon juice and check the seasoning,
Pour over the eggs on their hop shoots
garnish with croutons and a sprig of parsley.
This brew should be served with a variety of hoppy pail ales.
A recipe from chef Stefaan Coutteny, at the hommelhof, in Watou

I'm planning on making this as soon as my second year hop shoot get big enough. Right now they are sprouting at least a dozen per plant. with 11 total, i think i should have enough for this households appetite.
 
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