# Recipe for Fried Poke Stalks?



## comissaryqueen

I love cooking local southern greens, poke is one of them but now I heard there is a recipe out there for the stalk also. Any southern folk out there that can help?


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## -DEADLY SUSHI-

Does it look something like this?


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## Barbara L

Oh no!  Sushi, are you a poke stalker?    

Sorry commisaryqueen, I live in the south, but I am a transplant and the only greens I like are spinach and beet greens.  I hope someone can help though.

 Barbara


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## comissaryqueen

ow!ow!ow! Quit poking my stalk.owwwwwwww.


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## Barbara L

Aren't you just ashamed of yourself now Sushi?!   

 Barbara


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## kitchenelf

I tried looking up polk stalks to find a recipe and there is zippo!!!  I'll go through some of my older cookbooks and see if I can come up with anything.


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## crewsk

I grew up hearing it called poke salit. Never heard of eating the stalks, but the leaves were always a staple at my grandma's house. My job was to go out in the cow pasture & pick it. I never did learn to like that stuff!


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## Raine

Poke Salad & Eggs  

Ingredients 

1 1/2 lb. Poke Leaves & Stalks
5  Thick Slices Salt Bacon
1/2 t.  Salt
6-8  Eggs

 Directions 
Select tender young polk greens, include some tender stalks, not over 6 inches long. Cut stalks like you would celery. Clean well rinsing several times. 

Parboil and discard water. Add fresh water and 1 slice of bacon. Cook until tender. Fry rest of bacon until crisp and set aside. 

Add greens, salt and eggs to dripping cook over low heat for 20 minutes.


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## crewsk

Cool, I'll have to share that with my grandma! She'll love it!


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## Hoosierpeach

My father would harvest the stalks by snapping the tender top part of the stalk off, roll in seasoned flour and fry in bacon grease. YUM!


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## BreezyCooking

While I hesitate to mention this because it's bound to start an argument, from what I understand, the only parts of Pokeweed that should be eaten - if at all - are the young (as in no taller than 6"-8" high) shoots as they come up in the spring.  All other parts of the plant as it matures are poisonous.

The few reliable people who do insist on eating older Pokeweed freely admit that they only do so after boiling it virtually to death with several changes of water inbetween to remove as many of the toxic properties as possible.


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## Michael in FtW

No argument from me Breezy - you eat the leaves, not the stalks. And, as you said - older "weed" needs to be _detoxified _by boiling, changing water, boiling again, drain and boil again (depends on the age of the poke as to how many times). 

Harvesting poke stalks would be like harvesting spinach stalks ... just not as safe.


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## mike in brooklyn

BreezyCooking said:


> While I hesitate to mention this because it's bound to start an argument, from what I understand, the only parts of Pokeweed that should be eaten - if at all - are the young (as in no taller than 6"-8" high) shoots as they come up in the spring. All other parts of the plant as it matures are poisonous.
> 
> The few reliable people who do insist on eating older Pokeweed freely admit that they only do so after boiling it virtually to death with several changes of water inbetween to remove as many of the toxic properties as possible.


 
You are absolutely right Breezy. Pokeweed contains _phytolaccatoxin_ and _phytolaccigenin_, which are poisonous to mammals.
But according to Wikipedia the leaves are edible if they are boiled 3 times,
discarding the water after each boil.
I have heard of this same technique which makes skunk cabbage edible.


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## Hoosierpeach

While I have heard the poisonous warnings, all I can tell you is that it was a treat for us all through my childhood. Worst thing that happened to me was the 5,000 mosquito bites I got picking the stuff.

Now, if Poke stalks make one a cranky old lady....that I'd buy. 

There's a plethora of information for and against.

I think if one were to make it a major part of one's diet, eat the older parts or heaven forbid the berries, one would be in trouble.

However, moderation in everything, including moderation, are words to live by.


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## TnHiker

I have read and heard the warning about poke too.  However my father loved fried poke stalks.  As a kid I tried them and didn't like them.  I am not sure if I would like them now or not but due the all the warnings I have been afraid to try it. Plus I don't remember how my mother fixed them and both my parents have passed away so I can't ask them how it was done.  I will say that it was not something fixed very often and I heard that the poison in them is one that builds up so maybe that is why it seemed to be fine for him to eat the amount that he did.


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## Constance

Even the tender young leaves that you pick in the spring, when they first shoot up out of the ground, will give you "the trots." (AKA diarrhea) Consider.


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