Non-VegetarianWest Virginia Appalachian cuisine Starters

Poke Sallet with Bacon

Name: Poke Sallet with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: West Virginia Appalachian
Ingredients: 1 lb Young poke shoots; 4 slice Bacon; 1 tbsp cider vinegar; salt and pepper

Young pokeweed greens boiled twice to remove their natural toxins, then finished in a skillet with bacon and a splash of vinegar. A foraged spring green with a distinct, slightly bitter flavor that mountain cooks have long known how to prepare safely.

🇺🇸United States· West Virginia

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 45 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 140 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 4 gathered

Servings

1 lb Young poke shoots — washed
4 slice Bacon — diced
1 tbsp cider vinegar
salt and pepper

Equipment

•Large pot
•Skillet

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 140 kcal
fat: 11
carbs: 6
protein: 5
calories: 140

Instructions

1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the poke shoots.
2
Boil for 5 minutes. Drain completely and discard the water.
3
Refill the pot with fresh water and return the greens. Boil for 15 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
4
Cook the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Leave the fat in the pan.
5
Add the boiled, drained poke greens to the skillet. Toss well with the bacon and its fat.
6
Cook for 5 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of cider vinegar, then serve hot.

Chef's tips

Only use young, tender poke shoots picked before purple stems or berries form, and always boil in two changes of water to remove plant toxins.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked greens up to 2 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Skipping the second boil, which leaves harmful toxins in the greens
•Harvesting mature plants with purple stems, which are far more toxic than young shoots