Saltbush is also very palatable to livestock such as sheep and goats, and gives them a delicate salty flavour known as "pre-sale" by the French ("pre-salted"). Such salt-fed livestock is prized in Australia and across the world. There is significant potential in planting paddocks with saltbush to mitigate the increasing impacts of climate change.
Latin name: Atriplex spp., although ruby saltbush is Enchylaena tomentose.
Eating
- Salty leaf, some with a sharp/bitter flavour.
- Can be used both fresh and dried.
- Very tasty deep-fried and added to dishes for texture and flavour.
- Some varieties are more tender than others – some can be very tough when fresh and are better dried and used as a herb.
- Very good dried and used as a salty, herby spice for meats and savoury dishes.
- The seeds are also edible, and can be added to baked dishes such as breads, cakes or biscuits.
Growing
- There are many varieties of saltbush, and most are edible to humans.
- In general, saltbushes are very hardy and grow well in all climates and soils.
- Some plants can grow very large and tough.
- The taller plants hedge very well, such as “Old Man Saltbush”.
- Poultry eat some saltbushes but not all.
- Livestock do very well on most saltbushes and it can flavour the meat.
Harvesting and storage
- Use both whole and ground leaves, both fresh and dried.
- Leaves dry best in a cool, well-aired location. Keep out of direct sun or heat for the best result.
- If harvesting your own plant, try keeping leaves on pruned branches and placing in a vase with no water. Ensure good airflow around the stems and leaves to prevent mould.
- The result looks wonderful, and will give out a subtle scent over the next week or so as it gently dries.
- Leaves can also be dried at low heat in a dehydrator.
- Leaves can then be easily stripped off the stems and placed in an airtight container for storage.
- Whole leaves will keep their savour for a good 12 months, if need be.
- Grind by hand or in a high-powered blender and store in an airtight container.
- Ground leaves will retain the best scent for about three months.
