Crockpot Tips for DIY Plantain Oil

Dec 9 / Lori Rose, PhD
One of my favorite things about herbalism is its ability to give a purpose to an oft-hated group of plants in the ecology world: non-natives. I tend to be an outside the box thinker, and really enjoy pushing against norms and considering rare perspectives. A plant that aptly represents this boundary pushing and perspective shifting is the weedy plantain.

Plantain was called “white man’s foot” by American Natives for its tendency to newly sprout in regions freshly colonized by settlers. The non-native weedy plantain pushed against its original European habitat boundaries as its seed spread from coast to coast.

Lucky for us, too!

Plantain is now a beloved herbal ally, showing up in multiple habitat types from late spring throughout the scorching summers. I have recently seen some harmful plants (ie foxglove) be misidentified as plantain. For a safe ID, remember that plantain has basal leaves and parallel leaf veins. If you rip a plantain leaf in half, you should see little white fibrous threads running through the leaves. There are many different varieties of plantain, some shiny, some hairy, short with short leaves, some with long leaves. But if you match these characteristics, you’ve probably got a match!

Plantain’s vulnerary, slightly yet not harshly astringent, and biofilm-busting properties are perfect internally for digestive issues like IBS, leaky gut, and GERD. Versatile in growth habit and use, plantain can also be used externally for skin support and wound healing. Even the seeds are useful, marketed in stores as psyllium husk fiber!

For dry external skin conditions, a plantain infused oil or salve can easily be made through wildcrafting and simple infusion techniques. But if the spirit of this post is thinking outside the box, consider this unfamiliar yet incredibly simple method of crafting herbal infused oils: the crockpot!

The key to crockpot herbal oil infusions is surrendering to one truth: all crockpots are different. So I cannot tell you the goldilocks setting needed on your crockpot to make sure your heat stays just right enough to enable extracting the medicinal constituents from the herb while not causing your oil to reach its smoking point and become damaged.

What I can tell you is that it will probably be the warm or the low setting. If your crockpot doesn’t have a warm setting, your low setting might still be too hot. You may have to turn it on, then off, then on, then off to keep it just hot enough but not too hot. Testing with a thermometer for your first go-round is strongly recommended. The sweet spot: keeping your oil just below its smoke point.

Whichever oil you are using, look up its smoke point. Then, using your thermometer, start with your lowest crockpot setting. See how long you can leave it on before the oil reaches its smoke point. Then you can set a timer to remind you to turn it off before that happens. Or you can pick an oil with a high smoke point that your crockpot never reaches and you can just turn it on and wait for the magic to happen! Coconut oil has a very high smoke point, so could be a great choice for a walk-away experience.
Once you have gotten to know your crockpot, you are ready! You will use a 1:7 weight to volume ratio of dried plantain leaves to oil. So 1 ounce weight of plantain leaves to 7 ounces volume of your oil of choice, for example. Scale up for the amount of oil you want to make. Then simply add your herb and oil to the crockpot, turn it on, and let kitchenware technology do the rest!

You will also need to experiment with when you decide to the oil is “done”. Some sure signs: the herbs are more pale and the oil is darker in color. You get start with a small amount the first time around so you can keep stretching the steep time longer and longer until you get a feel for what it takes to create a strong medicine that you like.

Once the steep is done, let the oil cool and then strain off the herb. Store the oil in a covered jar in a dark, cool location. You can use this oil as is or turn it into a salve for any dry skin conditions or minor scrapes and cuts.



To learn more about this plant, check out the Herbs in Spanglish on plantain. 

If you would like to learn more hands-on applications, join Lori Rose, PhD in our Herbal Medicine Making class. 


Your herbal adventure awaits! Whether you’re a green thumb or just getting started, join a FREE Plant Experience Group:
**Disclaimer** 
The information provided in this digital content is not medical advice, nor should it be taken or applied as a replacement for medical advice. Matthew Wood, the Matthew Wood Institute of Herbalism, ETS Productions, and their employees, guests, and affiliates assume no liability for the application of the information discussed.