Harvesting
Harvest staghorn sumac when the cone-shaped clusters are vibrant, full and dry, with the fine hairs around the berries still intact. Clip the clusters just below the cone.
Only harvest plants you can confidently identify, and collect only where harvesting is permitted.
Drying
Lay the whole clusters on trays in a dry, well-ventilated space for a couple of days. They should be fully dry before processing so they do not mould in storage.
Cleaning
Rub the dried clusters apart over a tray until the berries separate. Pick out larger twigs, leaves and debris.
Processing
Pulse the berries briefly in a blender or spice grinder to loosen the tangy outer coating from the hard seeds. The seeds themselves are very hard and generally remain intact.
Working in batches, sift the crushed sumac through a medium sieve into a bowl. Discard the hard seeds and remaining plant debris.
If you do not have a blender or grinder, crush the berries with a blunt object and then sieve them in the same way.
Storing
Spread the finished ground sumac on a tray for another 24 hours to make sure it is completely dry, then store it in an airtight jar in a cool, dry pantry.
Use it anywhere you want a bright, tart, lemony flavour — including the Sheet Pan Sumac Chicken with Roasted Vegetables recipe in this collection.