How to Prepare Cactus Paddles

Cleaning cactus is no easy feat to accomplish. In fact, I was too scared to attempt it until I was older, for fear of getting pricked. That’s because even though the bigger needles are visible to the naked eye, there are also some tiny needles that are as clear as water and virtually invisible.

You can blanch your cactus, boil it, sauté it, or even cure it in salt for a different approach. Heck, some people blend cactus into their green smoothies.