Acorn Recipes?

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beckerhead

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Feb 11, 2005
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I need info on how to prepare acorns to eat. I know there is some rinsing involved, but don't know the details?
 
From what I remember, after you have the nut out, you want to rinse them repeatedly to get the tannin's out. This can be done either by boiling in several changes of water, or by placing them in a mesh bag in running water for a long period of time. Or 1st grind them to powder and place in a hole in the sand and repeatedly pour water over them (thanks to my daugher's report on Native Americans here in San Diego for that one).
I think I read that mixing in some ashes can take out the bitterness also but have never tried it.
After drying and grinding you can make Pancakes, hard un-risen bread, or mush/poradge, just to name a few. I have seen several web pages devoted to it.
I grew up around alot of Oak Trees and treid some raw nuts from time to time. Tasted like ear wax.
 
lumpymike1 said:
I grew up around alot of Oak Trees and treid some raw nuts from time to time. Tasted like ear wax.
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OK, I have to ask. What happened to you that you got so hungry that you know what ear wax tastes like?
 
Joel Stave said:
OK, I have to ask. What happened to you that you got so hungry that you know what ear wax tastes like?
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I was young, I pulled something out of my ear, and I was curious. Don't judge me. :D
I've heard that in some countries it is a great delicacy and is considered a appropriate wedding gift. :D
 
I've heard that in some countries it is a great delicacy and is considered a appropriate wedding gift.
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I've been called gullible in the past... Are you serious ? lol.
 
There are two types of Oaks, White and Red/Black. White Oaks have rounder leaves and less Tanic acid. Gather acorns and let dry (lay out in sun, by fire, or on cookie sheet in oven on low for a few hours). Remove shell, crack remove nut. Remove papery sheath surrounding nut (winnowing). Dice, and then place accorns into boiling water for 5-mins. ( dont bring water to boil, add to boiling water!) Pour off water and repeat process ( 1-3 changes of water). Harvest nuts during Fall just after falling to the ground. You can just eat as is, or grind into flour, but after grinding them they will lose 50% of there nutriental value in 3-5 days. Acorns contain 50% protien and 50% fat and have a great flavor. :p

Hope this helps - Ron
 
I got a wild hair and collected loads of live oak acorns one year.
We checked them carefully for holes and discarded those. Turns out the hole is where the bug gets out. The egg is laid and the acorn forms around it apparently.

Then I tried nineteen ways of shelling the bastards. Cutting lengthwise, crossways, smashing (can't see the worms).... I shelled about half a bucket and decided I had enough.

Then I boiled 'em according to a (combination of) interent recipes and discarded the water x number of times.

We ended up with a half cup of acorn/bug mash 'flour'. I think it is still in a baggie in the freezer.

Maybe I'll eat them raw next time. Earwax can't be THAT bad. :barf:
 
Myakka is right - learn the difference between the red oak group and white oak group, especially in Arkansas. With as many white oaks as there is there, you shouldn't have to mess around with any red oak acorns. In addition to being consumable by humans more readily, white oak acorns are also favored by deer, hogs, etc. which can be a good thing to know.

Some books don't discern the groups, so if need be, look at the characteristics of Quercus alba, White Oak. White Oak is just one of many oaks in the white oak group and for the most part, bark among the white oaks is similar. Leaf shape may vary, but as Myakka said, they have rounded tips versus the bristle tipped red oak group.

The only down side to the white oak group is it takes 2 years for an acorn to be produced versus one year in the red oak group. Therefore, a tree in the white oak group generally has a banner crop every other year.

Live oak, Quercus virginiana, is the one oak that falls into both categories, the acorns are like that of the red oak, in addition to the foliage, yes the end of the leaf is actually bristle tipped. However, the wood itself is like a white oak. Oh, and to add to the confusion, oaks readily hybridize. :eek:
 
Tom Brown says (but I haven't tried it) that white oaks AND Pin Oak acorns can be consumed without leaching out tannic acid first.

I only have experience with red oaks. :(
 
i bake them in a fire, then crush them, and strain boiling water through them. grind it into flour, and mix with water for a flatbread. i usually cook them on a griddle over a fire but indians have used hot rocks for a long time so it prolly works better.
 
I've eatent them raw before....Like Crocodile Dundee said "You can eat it, but it tastes like Sh-t" (or ear wax apparently, and now I've never eaten sh-t to the best of my knowledge). :rolleyes:
 
Aren't acorns Hazelnuts? I'm sure there may be several different types, but I would assume that any hazelnut recipe will work.
 
Pretty sure I'm going to pay for that ear wax comment for the rest of my life now, arn't I? :footinmou
 
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