Shagbark Hickory, Shellbark Hickory, Scalybark Hickory, Shagbark, Upland Hickory
I love the smoky syrup made with roasted shagbark. I had previously made it when we were living on our farm in Wisconsin and was thrilled to see a handsome shagbark hickory at a wayside in Illinois. It had already shed enough bark on the ground to make a batch.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
Deciduous tree native to eastern and central United States and parts of Canada. Averaging a height of 60-80 feet, its most distinctive feature is grey-brown, loose-plate bark which peels in long, wide, thick strips from the trunk and branches.
Leaves are alternate, and pinnately compound with, typically, five leaflets. Each leaflet is oblong to lanceolate with a serrated margin and approximately 4-8 inches long. In fall, the green leaves turn yellow to golden-brown.
Inconspicuous flower bloom in spring. A member of the walnut family, the shagbark hickory produces round nuts in a hard, brown shell which splits open in four sections when ripe.
RECIPE
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
NOTE: Always harvest bark with no evidence of mold, moss, fungus, or discoloration.
I use Alan Bergo’s recipe and the ingredients are simple.
- Shagbark hickory bark
- Water
- Sugar
Roast the Bark
Scrub bark in a sink of warm water. Then soak the cleaned bark in a container with warm water for 15 minutes.
Drain and lay the bark out on a cookie sheet.
Bake in a 400F oven for 25 minutes.
Remove the bark and allow it to cool before breaking it into pieces. Remember that smaller pieces have greater surface area resulting in a more flavorful infusion.
The Infusion
Place the bark in enough water to be fully submerged and bring to a simmer. Then cover and cook for 30 minutes. Water can be added if needed to keep the bark fully immersed.
Then allow the mixture to cool before straining to remove any particles.
Sweet Syrup
Add an equal volume of sugar to the bark tea and bring to a boil (1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of infusion).
Cook until it reaches 225F on a candy thermometer (approximately 20 minutes).
Somehow my measurements were off and I had too much sugar to water. The syrup is starting to crystalize but it’s still delish!
Of course it is excellent on pancakes and waffles, but my favorite snack is apple slices with peanut butter drizzled with shagbark hickory syrup.
References
Graney, D.L. (n.d.). Carya ovata (Mill.) K. Koch. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/carya/ovata.htm#:~:text=Shagbark%20hickory%20(Carya%20ovata)%20is,%2C%20shagbark%2C%20and%20upland%20hickory.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Shagbark hickory. https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/broad-leaf-trees/shagbark-hickory-Carya-ovata#:~:text=Identifying%20Features-,Leaf,leaflet%20is%20always%20the%20largest.
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