Nope, sorry. They are knobby little buggers and scrubbing is the only way to get them clean. You could peel them but that's even more work.

Rodney

maybe try growing them in mounds of compost, which will leave much less fine soil stuck on the tubers. Mine are easy to clean because they are growing in a loam with high OM content.

I blast them with the hose out in the garden. Then soak them in water for a short while before preparing. Scrub and sacrifice some of the fiddlier bits. Or peel and shape into regular shapes - but then you sacrifice even more. But after all you did say have a lot of them.

Since they basically grow themselves in the heaviest grottiest bit of clay in the garden I don't mind wasting some of them. Mine are sprouting so I won't be harvesting any more until next winter.

Do as Floral said. In addition, in the final stage you can also use an old tooth brush.

We have some growing on the edge of the little stream that runs through our yard. I've never tried them. What do they taste like? Do you have to dig them, or will they pull right out?

I already feel guilty about all the watercress that goes to waste every year, but no one in the family likes it. Even the local grocer doesn't want it.
-Terry

You have to pull them out and dig them too. The taste of Jerusalem Artichokes depend how you cook. I usually cook with chicken soup. It is good for diabetic people.

Health Benefits of Jerusalem Artichokes

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-jerusalem-artichokes-4218.html

This post was edited by JCTsai on Sun, May 4, 14 at 21:05

use vegetable brush to clean Jerusalem Artichokes.

Very good pickled also.

I second pickling it. It will stay crisp, no matter what and for how long. Otherwise just use it as potato, in soup stew, et.

Certain cultivars are less knobbly too, e.g. Fuseau.

Thanks everyone for the info.
-Terry

Had some with pasta today, but undercooked them.

good for cooking soups too

A friend brought some over today. There is a lot of soil in the crannies. I rinsed , scrubbed and then peeled and they were fine. I'm told that if you do not peel them you will have painful gastric upset. I cut them in small pieces, braised briefly in butter, added black pepper. They were delicious but again one is advised to eat a limited amount-sort of as a garnish. The high inulin content ifs healthy for diabetics as well.

terry_neoh...they have a very mild cabbage like flavor, with a bit of nut in there. They are very good. They have the consistency of a potaoe when cooked, so you can bake, roast, mash, fry them. They are great put into soups and stews.

Peeling doesn't affect the gastric effects for me. But it's not painful ime, just very smelly. The taste outweighs the fartiness for me, not at all cabbage-like in my view, much sweeter and nuttier, but don't eat them if you're going to be in refined company afterwards.

when I clean them, I knock off all the litlle bumps, scrub the rest with a vegetable brush...not that hard