Cut the the shoots into 3-4 inch pieces, toss with the remaining ingredients except the water and salt, and pack into the quart jar. Mix the salt and water until dissolved, then pour over the contents of the jar.
Screw on the lid(s) and leave out, opening the jars occasionally to burp them. The knotweed pickles will begin to sour in a few days, and develop good flavor after only a couple days in the brine at room temperature. They can be refrigerated, or stored at room temperature, like classic kosher dill pickles.
To use the pickles, take them out of the jar and cut into slices, or whatever shape you like. I like thick tubes, since they give me more freedom and control over future cuts and sizes, but you could sure cut them into slices or chunks so they could be spooned out directly from the jar and used.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 oz
Calories: 2 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
Protein: 0.1 g
Fat: 0.02 g
Saturated Fat: 0.01 g
Sodium: 200 mg
Sugar: 0.03 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.014 g
Reviews
Jo on 2026-05-17 (5 stars): Hey! I’m new to this sort of pickling (and to foraging knotweed). Usually I just dump hot vinegar and spices over whatever I want to pickle and eat within a few days. So…for an amateur…is there any way I can get ill from this version of pickling? Like, unintentionally create botulism?
I have a ton of this plant in my yard and it is utter bullsh-t. It will be a great pleasure to eat it.
z on 2026-04-15 (5 stars): I don't think you have any recipes using bamboo, which is extremely invasive and abundant in the southeast/mid-Atlantic. Would you consider doing a similar recipe to this for lacto-fermented bamboo pickles?
Reid on 2024-05-10 (5 stars): This is a great recipe, thank you! I have done about 5 fermentations and have had success on all of them. I do not peel the knotweed, and have been using larger stalks (still young, but not just the shoots - they grow so fast that they are still quite tender). Delicious, snappy, and not fibrous at all. The knotweed has such a nice herbaceous flavor that is so tasty with the peppercorns. I eat them right from the jar. Such a treat in early spring!
Reid on 2023-06-08 (5 stars): Great recipe, super clear, and freaking delicious results. No slime at all and crunchy. I used thinner knotweed shoots and did not need to peel them. I also fermented them for about a week and found they had a lovely flavor. Thank you for the inspiration!
Guy on 2022-04-13 (5 stars): And no mention of the magical Resveratrol? Likely one of the most potent longevity nutrients out there - same as is found in red wine except in much much higher concentrations. These pickles may just add a few years to your life!
