What Do Artichoke Hearts Taste Like?

Despite its fast-rising popularity in the US, a lot about this atypical-looking vegetable remains a mystery to many, from how it looks to its taste.

Although quite peculiar-looking, artichoke petals and hearts have neither a unique nor uncommon flavor.

So, what do artichoke hearts taste like? Generally, raw artichoke petals have an earthy tone to their flavor, while raw artichoke hearts taste sweet and slightly bitter like asparagus or celery.

The flavor, texture, and even the color of artichoke largely depend on whether it is raw or cooked and the method used to cook it.

In this post, we will explore the varying flavors of artichoke.

What do artichoke hearts taste like?

Overall, raw artichoke is a mixture of subtle earthy and nutty flavors.

Raw artichoke hearts taste has the bitter-sweet blend flavor of asparagus or celery. Raw artichoke petals taste earthy and somewhat plain.

Cooked artichoke tastes differently from the raw artichoke.

Artichoke has the potential to pick up a different taste depending on how it was prepared.

Boiled/steamed artichoke tastes slightly sweet and has a tender texture, while fried artichoke has quite a nutty tone, and grilled artichoke tastes sweet yet smoky.

What Do Marinated Artichoke Hearts Taste Like?

Well-marinated artichoke hearts should have a vibrant earthy flavor that sets them apart. It should also come with a delightful blend of sour and salty undertones, but the taste mainly depends on how it was cooked, and so do the texture.

Poorly marinated artichoke may taste over-seasoned, having a too-salty or too-sour flavor or both at the same time.

Marinated artichoke hearts are sometimes referred to as canned artichoke hearts. Some poorly canned artichoke hearts come with artichoke petals that may be stressful to eat if you do not have a knife.

What do canned artichoke hearts state like?

With canned artichoke hearts, one thing is sure; they do not remotely taste the same as raw and cooked artichoke hearts.

Canned artichoke hearts often have a vibrant yet tangy zest. It gets its tangy flavor from being soaked/marinated in the vinegar used in the canning process.

Canned artichoke hearts usually taste differently, depending on how the artichoke heart was cooked before being canned. Canned artichoke hearts have a soft and teeth-friendly texture.

How to get artichoke hearts

You can get artichoke hearts either by buying it or buying an artichoke and taking out the heart.

If you would like to go the DIY route instead of buying canned artichoke hearts, here is how you can go about it:

1. Remove the petals or outer leaves of the artichoke till the lighter and tender petals remain.
2. Severe the stem till you’re left with just an inch.
3. Cut off three extra layers of the artichoke leaves or petals.
4. Remove the outer layer of the stem and the base of the leaves till the surface is smooth using a pairing knife.
5. Vertically, divide the artichoke into two equal parts.
6. Take out the hairy choke and thorny interior leaves and throw them away.
7. Voila! You have your artichoke heart.

How to pick a good artichoke; things to look out for

Artichokes are a seasonal vegetable, usually coming into season from match to June/July.

When choosing artichokes, you should consider some things:

• Choose only heavy and solid artichokes; avoid lightweight artichokes because their lightweight nature signifies old age.
• If you are interested in the leaves, go for smaller-sized artichokes; they come with tender leaves.
• The leaves of fresh artichokes should squeak when you rub on them; the leaves shouldn’t be dry or cracked.
• If artichoke hearts are your thing, go for more enormous artichokes; they often have larger hearts.
• The leaves of fresh artichokes should be deep green, thick, and firmly closed.

How to prepare an artichoke

You can cook your artichoke in four different ways; steaming, boiling, frying, and grilling.

There, however, needs to be some form of preparation before cooking. Here’s what you need to do to prepare your artichoke for cooking:

1. Put your artichoke under running water and rinse out dirt.
2. Severe about 1/3rd of the artichoke from the top with a serrated knife.
3. Use the knife to cut off the stem leaving only an inch, and remove smaller leaves.
4. Cut off the prickly part of the leaves and rub the cut open side of the artichoke with lemon.

How to tell if an artichoke is bad

Your artichoke is bad if:

• Any part of the leaves is dry and shriveled.
• It is lightweight.
• It feels spongy when you clasp it.
• There’s an obvious hole in the middle of the vegetable.

How many artichoke hearts are in a can?

A 14 oz-Can of artichoke hearts contains six artichoke hearts.

So does a 9 oz—box of frozen artichoke hearts and an 8 oz. jar of artichoke hearts.

Can you eat a raw artichoke?

You definitely can eat artichokes raw.

Best canned artichokes on the market

Some excellent canned/jarred artichokes we think you try:

• Reese Quartered Artichoke Hearts.
• Kirkland Signature Artichoke Hearts
• Native Forest Whole Artichoke Hearts.
• Reese Grilled Marinated Artichoke Hearts
• Roland Foods Quartered Artichoke Hearts