What Can You Do with all those Acorns?
A bowlful of acorns
What a banner year for acorns. My red oak has been pelting my house and deck for a good couple of months now. Little bombs catapulting downward point-first made it dangerous to be underneath that towering red oak. As of today, most acorns have been dropped. They are covering my lawn and stuck in between the decking planks. There are so many I am tempted to do something with them.
Squirrels, deer, bears, chipmunks, turkeys, weevils and other animals will do well this year. High in fat and carbohydrate, acorns are important if not vital sources of nutrition for many animals. The number of cubs a female black bear gives birth to this spring is in direct relation to how much fat she has put on in the fall eating acorns. (Black Bears of the Southeast NaturePod)
As for us humans, acorns certainly have their attributes and many foods have been made from them. Acorns are high in vitamin B and protein, but because acorns – particular those from the red oak group – are high in tannic acid, preparation is key. Tannin can cause anemia and impede growth when too much is consumed, plus, it just plain tastes bad.
Soaking shelled acorns in several changes of hot water can leach tannin out. Alternatively, soaking for at least 12 hours in a solution of baking soda has also proven successful. Historically, grinding shelled acorns and pouring hot water over them was the technique used by Native Americans in California. Soaking in brine or lye as pickles and olives are, can also serve to flush out the bitter tasting tannic acid from acorns. Once the tannin problem is solved, several options are available.
*Flour: With the tannin removed, one can use the pounded acorns for flour in baking just as wheat flour is used. Let the pulverized acorns dry thoroughly and then use it in cakes, muffins, pancakes, breads or as a supplement.
*Salad toppings: Acorn chunks can be eaten as salad toppings or in baking as chickpeas or peanuts might be used.
*Oil: Because of their high fat content, some acorns have been pressed to produce oil. Some species of acorns yield up to 30% fat content. The resulting oil is equivalent to olive oil and can be used in baking and cooking.
*Coffee: Dried and roasted meats of acorns can indeed make a brewed coffee, but due to the bitter taste, it is not really worth the effort. As for wild coffees, chicory, a common roadside plant with blue flowers makes a much better tasting brew.
*Indirectly: Reaping the benefits of acorns further along the food chain is another option. Early American settlers let their pigs wander the woods fattening up on acorns and chestnuts just before butchering time. Turkey and deer also will bulk up well this year, and those who hunt will unknowingly be eating acorns once removed.
I’ll probably see about making flour out of my abundance. Check out later posts.