Acorn Flour
- Thread starter Minotaur
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Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
I was thinking about that the other day as I walked the dog through the local (ish) woods, Ta muchly.
Shambling Shaman
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
You thought right.
I've never thought of eating acorns after hearing variously that they were poisonous (then, I've heard just about everything in the wild is poisonous at one time or another - even including blackberries! haha) or incredibly bitter.
That article has really whetted my appetite. I'm going out for chestnuts again this week and know of a good few oak trees nearby - I'll see if I can find any around there (the massive population of squirrels may well have seen them off though).
Just leach the kernels to get rid of the tannin and then process. I don't have any details of flour preparaton posted on-site but there are a few ideas for using on my webpages at:
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/acorns.htm
If we were over in the Sonora Desert/Mexico area then there are virtually tannin-free acrons availabe, which makes a whole heap of difference to the sort of things you can do with the masts in terms of food preparation & recipes.
Enjoy,
Marcus H
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/acorns.htm
If we were over in the Sonora Desert/Mexico area then there are virtually tannin-free acrons availabe, which makes a whole heap of difference to the sort of things you can do with the masts in terms of food preparation & recipes.
Enjoy,
Marcus H
The acorns around me are edible just as is, and so are a huge batch that Warthog1981 and Magikelly brought back from Loch Lomond. How do we calcultate tannin content ? Any ideas? I haven't been leaching any of these ones, just roasting them for coffee, but would like to know before I try them again for flour.
cheers,
Toddy
cheers,
Toddy
Dunno, but I was peeling some yesterday and was finding quite large grubs inside, obviously belonging to some sort of gall wasp. I put them on the bird table!
It's actually important to remove the tannins from acorns (talking re. the ones in the UK and not for the odd cup of tea) if you are going to use them long-term. Tannin in excessive doses will lead to kidney failure as tannin coagulates blood and protein. Think of your leateherr shoes. 
Marcus H
Marcus H
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
i have some acorn flour in soak at the moment. They come from a mature english oak i tried last year and i know they are pretty bitter. The first boil the water was nearly black. I presume the flour is ready when the leak water is clear.
I usually let the acorns sit in water for several days. That tends to take care of the leeching process for me. I mixed acorn flour with some pancake mix a few times for a tasty morning breakfast
White oak seems to have less tannin to deal with.
White oak seems to have less tannin to deal with.
The native British oaks, Quercus robur (pendunculate) , Quercus petraea (sessile), are pretty common, but white oak is an import and not widely available. Interesting though that an entire species are reputed to not be full of tannin,
I find that just like apples, trees from the same species frequently have different properties. My local oaks shed acorns that are edible just as they are, but a mile away there are some so bitter that I don't even want to try leaching the tannin from them.
right enough though, those were planted ones, not wild seeded.
cheers,
Toddy
I find that just like apples, trees from the same species frequently have different properties. My local oaks shed acorns that are edible just as they are, but a mile away there are some so bitter that I don't even want to try leaching the tannin from them.
right enough though, those were planted ones, not wild seeded.
cheers,
Toddy
nice links
I've just finished the process of making flour of acorns. I baked a small cookie out of it, but it's not the same as normal flour. it doesn't really bind together. imo you need some flour for binding.
I've just finished the process of making flour of acorns. I baked a small cookie out of it, but it's not the same as normal flour. it doesn't really bind together. imo you need some flour for binding.
The native British oaks, Quercus robur (pendunculate) , Quercus petraea (sessile), are pretty common, but white oak is an import and not widely available. Interesting though that an entire species are reputed to not be full of tannin,
I find that just like apples, trees from the same species frequently have different properties. My local oaks shed acorns that are edible just as they are, but a mile away there are some so bitter that I don't even want to try leaching the tannin from them.
right enough though, those were planted ones, not wild seeded.
cheers,
Toddy
In that respect, Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel makes an interesting read Mary as it handles about same properties in the same species (just where you find different properties).
Hmm now that sounds like an interesting read, thanks for the heads up 
Minotaur, I meant to thank you too for the original link
Nice find.
cheers,
Toddy
Minotaur, I meant to thank you too for the original link
Nice find. cheers,
Toddy
Have just posted link on acorn coffee re. other uses of the stuff. Have pix of some of things I've worked on with acorns at:
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/acorns.htm
Marcus
http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/acorns.htm
Marcus
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I have finished mine now. I used the green shelled acorns off a Q.robur. I processed a smaller quantity than last year. I found it took less repeated leaching than last year, but I am not sure whether that was from less quantity or better quality. The result tastes slightly like weak tea, where as last year tasted very bitter no matter. The flour colour is simerlar brownness to user cp banner above. The acorns came from the same mature tree as last year.
