If you have a Sassafras tree on your property, pull it up by the roots. Since they grow wild and are considered a nuissance, you can probably get permission from a land owner to harvest some off private property.
Clean the roots and cut into 2-3 inch pieces. Allow them to dry for a week or two in a cool, dry place. If they begin to rot, start over.
Whittle the bark off the dried roots and keep frozen in a closed, zippered bag until ready to use.
Boil a quart of water and remove from heat. Add 2-3 ounces of dried Sassafras root bark to the hot water and allow it to steep to desired strength. Add sugar to taste.
BE WARNED:
- Do not eat the small, white berries of the sassafras tree. Use any herbal ingredients with caution, as their toxicity may be unknown.
- Never remove any plant growing on state or national parks, or any other property without permission.
- Sassafras is a blood-thinner (AKA: A Detoxification Agent for the Body) Use in small amounts. Make your blood too thin and it will come through the skin. Ask an old farmer and he'll tell you how much.
- Sassafras contains agents that are known to cause liver damage and cancer according to FDA of the USA.
Note: Sassafras leaves are dried and crumbled and used to flavor gumbo. It is known as file'.
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