Hops is a plant that is mainly associated with the production of beer. Has it occurred to you that it may also be the world’s most expensive vegetable? Hop shoots are young, tender shoots that taste a bit like beer and look like asparagus.

Hop shoots

They are small and not easy to harvest. However, once harvested, hops grow even more vigorously. Harvesting the shoots can therefore be beneficial for the plant. It is similar to trimming the young shoots of herbs. Cleaning and preparing them is not difficult. Just wash them in water. It cooks quickly with just a light seasoning. In 2015, their price was around £720 per kilo. This made them more expensive than any other vegetable on the market.

A very difficult harvest

Harvesting these small hop shoots is obviously arduous . They don’t grow in a uniform line, are hard to spot and are so small that hundreds are needed to get a decent catch. Interestingly, in Poland they are often treated as weeds. Yet in other countries they are paid really big money.

━━ ( Source: Dmytro Vynohradov /  Unsplash+ )

Vegetables with potential

In addition to their taste, hop shoots contain bioactive compounds such as humulone. These substances have antioxidant properties and can help the body fight oxidative stress.

Research suggests that hops may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, including blood pressure and cholesterol regulation. Hops are a source of bioactive compounds that present promising prospects in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

Properties of hop shoots:

  • Antibacterial,
  • Antiviral,
  • Antifungal,
  • Supports digestion.

Hop shoots are a product that is considered a luxury in one country but goes almost unnoticed in another. It is certainly not a single plant. It is similar, for example, with some species of mushrooms and other plants.

Although hop shoots are difficult to harvest and seasonal in availability, they can be an interesting addition to the diet. It may only be a matter of time before they are no longer treated as weeds in Poland and start appearing on tables as a full-fledged culinary ingredient.

Try hop shoots

When eaten, hop shoots have a dry, astringent and bitter taste. Once cooked, however, the shoots are completely different. You can boil, grill or roast them. They will then taste like kale with a slight nutty flavour coming from the stems. Hop shoots are often associated with asparagus. However, this is only in appearance. Flavour-wise, hop shoots have nothing in common with asparagus.

How to prepare hop shoots? We have come up with a completely quick and tasty way to prepare this unusual vegetable.

  • Put brown butter in a large pan and add lemon juice, salt, pepper and hop shoots.
  • The liquid should start to evaporate. This is the time to cover the pan with a lid. Cook for half a minute to a minute.
  • Finished. That’s how quick the preparation is. Now just bite in and enjoy.

Personally, I haven’t tried hop shoots yet. I had no idea how high the price could be. I probably won’t buy them, but if I come across them in my garden or in the neighborhood, I’ll be happy to pick and taste them. I’m especially attracted to the speed of its preparation and the benefits to my health.