Congratulations! 

You've found an Eating the Ozarks Tree Tag! Our goal is to educate you on the Wild Foods the Ozarks have to offer. 

Unless I am on your property, 
​Please don't take from me.

​I need a safe place to educate :-)

*Always check your ID with 3 sources before consuming any new-to-you plant!

Parts Used: Twigs, leaves and berries. 

Find It: It's on the first understory trees to bloom in the Ozarks! Spring is certainly one of the easiest times to find it. Other times of the year you'll need to ID it by its fragrant leaves or bright red berries (containing only one seed). 

When to harvest:  Leaves in the Spring and summer, berries in the late summer and twigs year round. 
​
Store it: Dried spicebush leaves make an excellent flavoring to baked goods and marinades. 

Do you have a Spicebush Tree or Trees on your Property? 

Here is a recipe to get you started! 
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Spicebush Wrapped Chicken
​
(recipe from Wild Foraged, by Rachael West of Eating the Ozarks)

We love the flavor Spicebush leaves add to any meat dish, chicken thighs especially! 

• 20+ Spicebush Leaves
• 6-8 chicken thighs
• 1 cup vinegar (we love using juniper berry)
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 2 Tbs Sugar 

In a bowl, add spicebush leaves, vinegar, water, sugar and olive oil. Blend with an immersion blender or food processor. 

Add the chicken to the bowl, and allow to marinate for about an hour. Strain off mixture when you are ready to wrap or skewer chicken. 

• If you're using cubed meat, wrap a leaf around each cube
• If you're using whole thighs wrap two leaves around each side so they connect in the center and use a toothpick to attach. 

Cook on a pre-heated smoker, or grill until internal temperature reaches 160F. I love using our pellet smoker for this set at 250F for about 30 minutes. 

Interested in learning more??

Wild Foraged the Book is all you need to learn about wild foods found in your yard, garden or closest forested area! 

• Learn to Forage
• Learn to Preserve 
• Learn to Cook
• Dozens of Recipes
• Learn the History of Uses

Written by the owner of Eating the Ozarks! ​