Grilled Wild Asparagus

Not every wild meal has to come from game or fish. Spring is a time of plenty in the woods, be it mushrooms, fiddle head ferns, ramps, or, another personal favorite, wild asparagus. Wild asparagus isn't really wild; it was introduced to the country hundreds of years ago and has sort of just spread on its own.

Wild asparagus is a treat from the spring woods.

To harvest, grab the pencil sized and larger shoots near their base and either bend to snap or slice cleanly through with a sharp knife. Keep a close watch in the area over the next several weeks, asparagus grows at an amazing rate and you can harvest the same area multiple times. As the season progresses, leave a few stalks to grow and seed, so that you are ensured a crop in the same area next spring.

Look closely, asparagus blends into tall grass.

We have an asparagus patch along a field edge at one of our turkey hunting spots. It isn't large, but it is dependable. As my daughter and I passed the area on our way home from a mid-week afternoon hunt, I took a detour to check it out. Sure enough, there was a handful of young tender shoots just waiting to be picked.

My favorite way to prepare asparagus? A light drizzle of olive oil and a quick turn on a hot grill over charcoal and wood coals. Finish with a pinch of sea salt. Any way you like domestic asparagus will work though; steaming, roasting, boiling or even stir fry.