The thick, fibrous stems of kale are typically considered not edible or less desirable for consumption in most common recipes.
Kale is a highly nutritious leafy green, and while its leaves are widely enjoyed, the sturdy central stalks are frequently removed before cooking. This practice is largely due to their tough, fibrous texture, which makes them less palatable than the more tender leaves when prepared using standard cooking methods.
Why Kale Stems Are Often Discarded
When preparing kale for various dishes, it's a common culinary practice to "de-stem" the greens. This involves slicing along the thick middle stalk to separate it from the leafy green portion. The goal is to use only the relatively more tender leaf, with the stems often set aside or discarded, for instance, into a compost bin.
- Texture: Kale stems are considerably tougher and stringier than the leaves, requiring much longer cooking times to soften.
- Taste: They can possess a more bitter or woody flavor profile compared to the milder, earthy taste of the leaves.
- Digestibility: Their fibrous nature can make them harder to chew and digest if not prepared appropriately.
Common Culinary Practices
For the best eating experience in the majority of kale recipes, chefs and home cooks routinely remove the stems. For example:
- Salads and Smoothies: Raw kale salads or green smoothies almost exclusively utilize the tender leaves for a smoother texture.
- Sautés and Chips: Dishes like sautéed kale or crispy kale chips benefit greatly from the absence of tough stems, ensuring even cooking and a consistent texture.
While the stems are commonly separated and not consumed in typical preparations, primarily due to their challenging texture, the question of what part of kale is not edible points to these fibrous stalks as the part most frequently discarded in standard culinary applications.
