1.) What oven temperature setting and length of time is needed to roast root pieces of chicory and dandelion so I can grind and use them for making beverages?

2.) Center location for the oven rack?

3.) Can a food dehydrator be used for roasting instead of an oven?

4.) If "no" to previous question (#3), can a food dehydrator be used to draw out moisture to speed up the roasting process in the oven?

5.) How do I know when the roasting process is finished?

At this point I have only succeeded in dark-roasting (burning) my root pieces and would appreciate some advice.

Lots of conflicting information on the web regarding heat settings and roasting times - very confusing. I find it hard to believe it is that complicated a task.

Thanks in advance for any guidance,
-Tom

It sounds to me like you want to dry them and powder them for future use. Yes?

If so, I would definitely use the dehydrator.

If you want the flavor from roasting, I would bake at about 425 (center rack location is fine) for 20-30 minutes (until they begin to brown around the edges), then use the dehydrator to finish drying completely.

If you aren't after the roasted flavor, just go straight to the dehydrator. You can cut the pieces thinner for this than if you plan to roast first.

I haven't actually done this with dandelion or chicory, just general roasting vs. drying experience.

Good luck!

Deanna

Yes, I wish to make grounds for brewing chicory and dandelion for use as a hot beverage similar to coffee.

From my research, I learned that roasting causes caramelization of the carbohydrates (sugars), which is the process that gives a desirable color and flavor to the product.

Simple enough. So is there a standard temperature that causes caramelization on anything or does it depend on the type of sugars and maybe water content in the product being roasted?

Is slow-roasting at lower heat generally better or worse than fast-roasting at higher heat? Is it irrelevant?

If as you mention I should roast until brown around the edges, that kind of tells me that the more surface area that browns the better the flavor, so I should maybe cut roots into smaller pieces?

Maybe I am forced to experiment. I have plenty of dandelions I can afford to lose, but the chicory is coveted a little more by me - but I don't know if they roast the same (if they have the same sugars). I guess I will find out soon...

I will use the temp you recommend and watch it carefully.

Thanks,
-Tom

P.S. Any links or book ideas out there that anyone would recommend regarding this kind of roasting would be appreciated. I grew sesame, soybeans, sunflower seeds, and other stuff that I want to roast and I think I need to educate myself on this process. Thanks for the help.

First cut it into thin slices while fresh, so the final dried piece is about the size of a dried coffee bean. After all, if you roasted it as a carrot like root, how would you grind it?

Also be careful with the chicory. I've read that too much chicory consumption can cause blindness.

But several of the sites I checked out of curiosity ground first, roasted after. Grind, drain on toweling, roast on baking sheet in a slow 250F oven for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.

This one washes, dehydrates, then grinds to roast. If you had dandelion to play with, you could practice on those, try with the chicory later.

happyday, I have looked at several sites regarding roasting coffee beans. Good information, but being inexperienced I didn't know how well that info would apply to chicory. I cut my roots up into little pieces that by chance were bean-sized, for roasting - worked very well. Thanks for the heads-up regarding possible ill effects. I researched the blindness thing and still feel comfortable proceeding. This project is more of a curiosity than anything at this point.

morz8, Interesting information. Very good link. I got a good batch of chicory roasted and will grind it, do another quick roast of the grounds, and then give it a try. I have dandelion root pieces dehydrated and ready to roast today.

BTW chicory has an absolutely wonderful aroma while it is roasting. A very sweet, malty, somewhat nutty smell - not earthy at all. If it tastes anything like it smells I will be a very happy camper.

I will let folks know how everything finally worked out. I have taken some pics and I might post them as well.

-Tom

Deanna

Chicory: I harvested roots from first-year chicory plants that were started indoors from seed. A minimum of five plants are needed just to do a small experiment. A LOT of plants are needed to make a decent amount for continual use.

Dandelions: I simply went out to the yard and garden edges and dug a bunch of dandelions. I live on a farm with a big lawn that I don't obsess about manicuring, so no chemicals are used. If you spray chemicals where you intend on digging dandelions, be aware of the risks (I would advise you not to harvest in those areas). I dug approximately 25 plants, which was enough to experiment.

I harvested roots after several hard frosts. It is my understanding that cold weather improves flavor of some roots (such as horseradish) so I followed this general principle. By all means correct me if I am wrong in this thought process.

The following is the process for both chicory and dandelion:

1.) Educate yourself. Know the possible risks of any new food product you intend on consuming BEFORE you consume it. I bear no responsibility.
2.) Harvest roots.
3.) Soak in cold water to loosen dirt.
4.) Clean roots but do not peel. Remove root hairs. I think a little bit of dirt is good for you so I don't worry about getting all the nooks and crannies clean.
5.) Wipe roots off.
6.) Cut roots into approximately 1/4 inch long rounds or chunk larger roots.
7.) Place on screen or parchment in center racks of dehydrator.
8.) Dehydrate for approx. 4 hours or until hard and dry. (I think they can still be pliable in the center but mine weren't.) Rotate racks halfway through the process for even drying.
9.) Spread single layer on cookie pan. Roast at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, mix and turn the pieces every ten minutes.
10.) Allow to cool somewhat then grind or powder.
11.) Spread grounds or powder on cookie pan and roast for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Stir it once at 5 minutes.
12.) Allow to cool then do a quick grind if caking has occurred (or mortar and pestle).
13.) Place product in a sealed glass container as soon as possible to retain flavor - use a proper size jar for the amount to minimize air space.
14.) Use and enjoy. Amount to use is definitely a personal preference. I used 3 leveled teaspoons for one cup of boiling hot water. As a coffee additive I mixed two thirds coffee to one third chicory but I might make it stronger next time - I love stronger flavored brews.

I intentionally powdered as opposed to making grounds, for purposes of experimentation. Doing this allowed me to make a quick brew in a cup for testing purposes. It still works with coffee grounds and doesn't get through the coffee filters.

Result: Both chicory and dandelion made palatable, pleasing, stand-alone beverages that were a bit on the bitter side. I read that bitter means it wasn't roasted long enough to properly caramelize the carbohydrates, which I suspect is what happened. Next time I will do the initial roast for a longer period or a higher temperature or both. I think the grounds or powder should be much darker than what I ended up with. Coffee with chicory was simply delightful.

While they are very similar, it is my opinion that dandelion had a much earthier aroma while roasting versus chicory. Chicory also seems to have a more concentrated flavor than dandelion. I am afraid that might be a personal bias because my entire life I have been taught that dandelions are evil weeds that ruin lawns and serve no useful purpose. I will have some family members do a blind taste test to get their opinions of the two - and I have no intention of telling them that one is dandelion. ;)

You can't beat free weeds, so use them. I think that a person could harvest and roast both chicory and dandelion, then mix the two together 50/50 to make the better flavored chicory go farther without affecting the quality that much. It is my intention to do this in the future.

Summation: Very interesting project. Easy to do but a little harder to do correctly (like most things in life). Surprisingly good tasting beverages. Worth doing again but I need to experiment with roasting temps and times.

Have fun!
-Tom

You can click on photos to see larger, but you will be redirected to another site.

Roasted chicory root pieces:

Ground (powdered) chicory:

Roasted dandelion root pieces:

Ground (powdered) dandelion:

Comparison of the two roasted powders and beverages. Obviously very similar - very similar flavor as well. My preference is the chicory beverage but I intend on continuing with both. Chicory is on the left, dandelion on the right. Full strength brews of each - no coffee added.

Does your chicory grow wild or do you plant it?

I wonder if anyone ever uses dock root. I've pulled docks out of my garden as big as baseball bats.

I started my chicory (cichorium intybus) from seeds I purchased from two seed companies, "Victory Seeds" and "Bountiful Gardens" (not affiliated with either company). Both companies stated that these were the varieties grown for harvesting and roasting the roots, but neither specified the strain they were offering - so I feel I must label it as "common chicory" until proven otherwise.

Had good success with both. Harvested the greens from some plants, the roots from some plants were harvested and used as a vegetable in stir fry, vegetable soup, and stew, and some of the plants were harvested to roast the roots. Some plants were left for seed production.

I intend to acquire and grow out two commercial strains, "Magdeburg" and "Brussels Witloof" to see if they produce larger roots if I can find seed available in the U.S.

I is my understanding that the common chicory I speak of is the same stuff that grows along roadsides. I have not seen it growing around my area (southwestern Minnesota) at all, but I have seen lots of it growing in south central and southeastern Minnesota. The highway departments in those counties must have seeded it with wildflower mixes. This plant is not native to North America.

happyday - Some quick research showed that dock is not toxic and has been used as a medicinal herb. It has some very harsh qualities regarding its effects on the body and the digestive system. I will leave it at that.

-Tom