Acorns

[FVR]

Def. will be picking up acorns this fall.

Boil for two hours 2 or 3 times to leach out the tanin and you have an edible treat.

Anybody ever try this?

[wareagle69]

oak trees are hard to find in my a/o but i was working opn the pump at my bosses house and noticed his "acorn tree" asked him what he plans on doing he said throw them out so i will be using his more to follow

[Tony uk]

Yeah, its not bad we have some acorn trees about our parks and some chestnut trees near a football pitch where i stay

[smokelessfire]

i read once in a book that you are supposed to boil the acorns in several changes of water until the water stops turning brown, so i boiled acorns for 8 hours straight, in god knows how many changes of water. the water never stopped turning brown. finally i gave up and just roasted them and they tasted great. i believe just a few changes of water and your good to go.

[RobertRogers]

Many types of acorns are exceedingly bitter and require several boilings before you can eat

[FVR]

They are starting to fall. All over my deck, truck, roof, in the middle of the night it sounds like we are being bombed.

[survivalhike]

Funny. I tried acorns once and we must have forgotten to boil them because they we're really bitter.

[FVR]

#1. Pick the acorns.

#2. Shell the nuts.

#3. Boil them for 2 hours, changing the water at least 4 times. Each time the water will get a lighter color brown.

#4. Sun dry or dry them and mash up to make acorn flour. Eat them whole or make some biscuits.

[corndog-44]

White Oak acorns are sweeter than Red Oaks and they require less boiling and water changes.

[criticalmass]

Interesting fact. Acorns will be more plentifull when you need them the most. During drought years Oaks will produce more acorns.

[woodsey]

acorns can be used in alot of ways, after drying pound them a little and add to pot of stew. woodsey.....

[Sarge47]

Here you go acorn lovers!

Acorn Flour Recipes:
Acorn Pancakes
1 cup acorn flour
1 cup white flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
¼ cup oil
½ cup honey
2 cups milk
1. Mix dry ingredients first.
2. Add wet ingredients and mix together thoroughly (Note: the secret
of keeping pancake batter from getting lumpy is to be sure to add all
the wet ingredients before mixing.)
3. Adjust consistency by adding a little more milk or a little more
flour if it's too thick or thin. Pancake batter should be thin enough
to pour, but not runny.
4. Cook on oiled grill.
5. Top with butter and Maple Syrup.
Acorn "Corn"bread
1 cup acorn flour
1 cup white flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
½ cup or honey
¼ cup oil or butter
1 cup milk (buttermilk is best!)
1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add all the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Pour batter into a 9x9 baking pan, or 10-inch cast iron frying pan
4. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
5. Serve hot with plenty of butter! Honey or maple syrup is good on it too!
Acorn Brown Bread
This bread is baked by steaming it in empty tin cans for 2 hours. It
was a popular way to make bread in the olden days when the woodstoves
were hot all day long. It method of baking bread is a bit foreign to
us nowadays, but this bread is unimaginably moist and delicious. You
used to be able to buy it in a can at the grocery store but I never
see it for sale anymore. Using Acorns instead of cornmeal makes this
an extra special treat!
1 cup Acorn flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup molasses
1 cup chopped raisins
1. Mix all the ingredients together to form your batter.
2. Take some clean empty 16-oz tin cans and grease them inside.
3. Pour batter 3/4 full into each can. This recipe will fill 3 or 4 cans.
4. Put a layer of aluminum foil over each can and secure it tightly
with rubber bands.
5. Set the cans on a canning rack in your canner and put a couple
inches of water at the bottom.
6. Put the lid on the canner and let the cans steam for 2 hours. Be
sure to check the water occasionally and replenish if needed.
7. Let cans cook completely before removing the 'loaves' of bread.
8. Slice and serve.
Acorn Molasses Cookies
These cookies are heavenly, although the spices and molasses tend to
dominate the flavor of the acorns, so a person wouldn't know they had
acorns in them unless you told them. A good way to sneak some into a
skeptic!
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup butter
1 lg. egg
¾ cup molasses
1 1/4 cups acorn flour
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
1. Cream the brown sugar and butter together.
2. Add egg and molasses, and mix thoroughly.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, acorn flour, baking soda,
salt and spices.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix thoroughly. Batter should be
soft rather than stiff, but not runny.
5. Drop by rounded spoonfuls on to a cookie sheet. Flatten then with
your palm and sprinkle with sugar crystals.
6. Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes. Be sure not to over-bake, as the
bottoms burn easily.
To make these cookies extra special good, cream together 1 package of
softened cream cheese and 3 Tablespoons of maple syrup. Frost the
bottom side of a cookie and stick another cookie on, creating a cookie
sandwich. Scrumpdillyiscious!!!!
Acorn Muffins w/ Wild Apples and Hickory Nuts
This recipe uses 4 wild ingredients if you sweeten it with maple
syrup. These are non-dairy muffins and very moist and good.
2 ½ cups grated wild apple, peeled and cored first
2 cups raisins
1 ½ cups boiling water
3 Tbsp. oil
1 cup + 2 Tbsp maple syrup (or honey)
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cloves
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups Acorn flour
1 ½ cups flour, white or wheat
1 ½ tsp baking soda
¾ cup hickory nuts (or walnuts)
1. Pour boiling water over grated wild apples and raisins. Top with
oil and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Add honey and spices (including salt), then allow to cool.
3. Sift together dry ingredients, add walnuts and combine with the wet
ingredients.
4. Spoon into well-greased muffin pans.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350.
Acorn Gingerbread
I got inspired to make this recipe after making the Acorn Molasses
cookies. Acorns and molasses are a match made in heaven!
1 ¼ cups Acorn flour
1 ¼ cup flour (wheat or white)
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp cloves
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup molasses
½ cup oil
1 cup boiling water
1. Sift dry ingredients together
2. Combine eggs, sugar, molasses, and oil in separate bowl.
3. Mix together, add boiling water and stir until smooth.
4. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes,
Acorn Gingerbread is really good served warm with fresh whipped cream on top!
Whole Acorn Recipes:
Acorn Hotdish
4 cups Acorns
1 small onion, chopped
½ tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 cups soft breadcrumbs (4 slices of bread)
2 eggs
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup oats
3 cups cubed cheese (1 lb)
1. Cook acorns in water until they are soft. (Skip this step if using
frozen acorns).
2. Mash acorns somewhat with a potato masher.
3. Combine with remaining ingredients.
4. Add a little water if it seems dry.
5. Spread into a greased 9x9 square pan or 9x5 loaf pan.
6. Sprinkle sesame seeds and oats over the top.
7. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.
Acorn Burgers
This recipe is an old favorite of mine from The Farm cookbook. It is
originally intended for leftover soybean pulp from making soy milk and
tofu, but it adapts quite nicely to acorns!
5 cups rehydrated acorn meats
2 tsp salt
1 cup oats or 1 cup flour
½ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 onion, finely chopped
1. Mash the acorns with a potato masher
2. Mix all ingredients together. The batter should be quite stiff.
3. To make patties, roll into a ball about the size of an apricot,
flatten to about ½" thick.
4. Fry in a generous amount of oil so they'll be crispy on the edges.
Serve just like a hamburger or veggie burger, on bread with all the fixings.
Chili Con Acorn
I have to give credit to Sam Thayer for this one. He serves up Acorn
Chili every year at the Midwest Wild harvest Festival here in
Wisconsin. This isn't his recipe, but it's his idea, and it's a good
one!
4 cups acorns, rehydrated
1 lg onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
1 can (16oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans
1. Saute acorns with onion and garlic in a heavy-bottomed pot.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.
Note: A crockpot works great for this recipe, you can give it a long
slow simmer that way without having to worry about scorching it.
Acorn "Meat"loaf
If using dried acorn meats, you will need to rehydrate them before
mixing the ingredients. I rehydrate them by simmering in water until
they are soft, much like cooking beans.
4 cups Acorns, somewhat chopped or mashed
1 cup milk
1 tsp dried sage leaves
1 tsp salt
½ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp pepper
3 slices of bread, torn into small pieces OR ¾ cup oats OR ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup barbecue sauce
1. Mix together all ingredients except barbecue sauce.
2. Shape mixture into a loaf pan.
3. Spoon barbecue sauce over the top.
4. Bake at 350 for about an hour.

[Sarge47]

This article is going to be way over the wordage limit so I'll be breaking it up into a series of posts.

Acorn Information, Identification, Processing, and Recipes
Copyright 1976,2006 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.

History of the Common, Ordinary Acorn

Acorn

The common, ordinary acorn is one of the ancient foods of mankind. The
first mention of acorns for human consumption was by the Greeks over
2,000 years ago. Over the course of human history it has been
estimated that people have eaten more acorns than both wheat and rice
combined. The acorn has served as an important famine food for many
centuries. Acorns may be eaten alone or in a wide variety of acorn
recipes.

Native American Indian tribes all across North America, such as the
Cherokee, Pima, and Apache, used acorns as one of their primary staple
foods in the same way they used corn. American Indians understood the
food value of the acorn and how to prepare it for human consumption.
Some Indian tribes would bury their acorns in the mud for many days
and then dig them up and dry them in the sun. Other Indian tribes
would put their acorns inside a reed basket with a few heavy rocks and
then put the basket in a fast moving stream for several days. Both of
these methods removed the tannin in the acorns and made them fit for
people to eat. There is now an easier, more scientific method and it
will be described in detail as you continue to read.
Acorn Facts

One tall mature oak tree can produce almost one-thousand pounds of
acorns in one growing season during normal weather conditions. Acorns
have a low sugar content and therefore help control blood sugar
levels. They have a sweet nutty aftertaste. Acorn meal may be used in
bread and stew recipes, substituting acorn meal for approximately
one-fourth of the flour. Since acorns contain natural sweetness,
reduce any other sweeteners in the recipe by one-fourth. Acorn grits
can be used in place of nuts in cookie, brownie, and bread recipes.
Acorns are a reliable source of carbohydrates, protein, 6 vitamins, 8
minerals, and 18 amino acids, and they are lower in fat than most
other nuts. One handful of acorns is equivalent in nutrition to a
pound of fresh hamburger.
Oak Trees

White Oak Leaf

White Oak: White oak trees live between 450 to 650 years (and longer).
They can exceed 4 feet in diameter and 100 feet tall. The white oak is
the most common species of oak tree. The leaf has a dark green glossy
top side and a light green under side. The leaf lobe ends (edges) are
rounded. White oak acorns mature in one growing season. Acorn
production is heaviest approximately every third year. The inner shell
of white oak acorns is smooth and the inner nutmeat is whitish in
color. Split one of the inner nutmeats in half and you will see the
whitish color. This is why the tree is called a white oak. White oak
acorns are low in tannic acid and are naturally sweet and may be eaten
with minimal processing. They are the best acorns for use in acorn
recipes.
Red Oak Leaf

Red Oak: A red oak tree leaf has a glossy green top side and a fuzzy
under side. The leaf lobe ends are very pointed. Red oak acorns
require two years to mature. Red oak acorns have a hairy lining inside
the shell and the nutmeat is yellowish in color. They are very high in
tannic acid and therefore taste very bitter. Red oak acorns MUST be
processed before eating. Generally red oak acorns are not harvested
for human consumption except during serious famine conditions.
(Caution: Excessive amounts of tannic acid can lead to kidney failure.
Therefore, if you must consume red oak acorns, you should process them
for the maximum amount of time.)

There are several other varieties of oak trees, but the white oak is
the most common oak tree throughout the United States, followed by the
red oak.

If all the oak trees in your area are exactly the same, then they will
all produce acorns that taste the same. But if you have different
varieties of oaks, you will have different varieties of acorns which
will taste different. Therefore, when you harvest your acorns, keep
the ones you collect under each oak tree in a separate bag or
container by themselves until you do a taste test to determine if any
have a more agreeable taste than the others. If so, note which tree(s)
they came from, and focus your next year's collection efforts there.
You MUST harvest your acorns VERY soon after they fall to the ground
or the squirrels, deer, and other wildlife will eat them. If the
acorns stay on the ground very long, they will become infested with
insect larva, and they will also absorb ground moisture and begin to
mold.
Acorn Collection

Acorns Ripening

Collect your acorns every day from September through October as soon
as possible after they have fallen off the oak tree onto the ground.
They may be green, or green and tan, or brown. The green ones aren't
fully ripe yet, but collect them also because they will ripen to a
dark brown in a few more days. In my opinion, the green ones are
better because they have just fallen off the tree and therefore they
have had less time to absorb ground moisture or be attacked by
insects. If you happen to notice that an acorn is defective when you
pick it up, then toss it into the woods where there are no oak trees.
Otherwise, there is a good chance you will be picking up that same
acorn every day for many weeks to come.

After collecting all the acorns you can find each day, sit down and go
through your new batch of acorns. Remove and discard the cap or crown
of the acorn. Inspect the acorns (first inspection) and discard any
that have an obvious defect, or signs of mold, or a tiny hole because
it probably contains a worm. The acorns should feel firm between your
fingers. Discard any that are soft.
Acorn Drying Methods

Tray of Acorns Spread the good acorns you collect each day onto a
tray, board, or screen. You can then dry the acorns using any one of
following three methods:

1. house drying at normal room temperatures, or
2. the sun, or
3. a conventional oven.

- - - - - - -

[Sarge47]

Here's more!


House Drying at Normal Room Temperatures: Allow the acorns to dry
gradually inside your home at normal room temperatures. The acorns
should only be one layer thick on the drying trays. If the acorns are
relatively green, this drying method normally takes between two to
four weeks.
The advantages of room temperature drying are:
1. The inner acorn nutmeat retains most of its original moisture which
adds to its flavor and chewability.
2. If your home is free of flying insects, then you will not loose any
more acorns to insect larva.

The disadvantages of room temperature drying are:
1. It can take as long as four weeks to properly dry the acorns.
2. Each day you will need MORE house space to dry additionaly acorns.
3. Periodically you will have to inspect your acorns for tiny worms.
4. Future acorn nutmeat mold problems are more likely to occur.

- - - - - - -

Sun Drying: Place the tray of acorns in direct sunlight for two to
five consecutive days, depending on how "green" your acorns are when
you collect them. Bring all your acorns inside each night. Drying in
the sun is the traditional method. If the sky is partly cloudy or
overcast, then you may need to dry your acorns for more than five days
in the sun. (Note: If your acorns are not completely dry, they will
soon be covered with mold and you will have to throw them away. Any
acorns that are still partially green after a few days of drying
should be separated from the rest of the acorns. Continue drying any
partially green acorns until they turn completely brown.)
The advantages of sun drying are:
1. It helps to kill insect larva, and
2. It helps to reduce future mold problems.

The disadvantages of sun drying are:
1. Flying insects will lay eggs in some of the acorns and they will
have to be thrown away.
2. The inner nutmeat looses some of its moisture and flavor.
3. The shelf life of the nutmeat is between four to six months.

If you have windows facing the sun, then you can place your tray of
acorns in the sun inside your house and eliminate the flying insect
problem above.

- - - - - - -

Oven Drying: Place the tray of acorns in a warm oven (175?F) for about
20 minutes with the oven door slightly cracked to let the moisture
escape.
The advantages of oven drying are:
1. Drying can be done very quickly.
2. It effectively kills all insect larva.
3. It eliminates future mold problems.

The disadvantages of oven drying are:
1. The inner nutmeat looses most of its moisture and flavor and it
becomes very hard to chew.
2. The shelf life of the nutmeat is only two or three months.

- - - - - - -

Of the above three different drying methods, I now prefer sun drying
inside my home in front of a window that faces the sun.
Acorn Storage

After drying your acorns, inspect them again (second inspection). The
drying process helps to reveal cracks or insect holes you couldn't see
when the acorns were still damp. Discard any acorns that don't have a
good exterior shell, or process and use those acorns immediately.
Acorns with a cracked outer shell will dry out quickly on the inside,
and the nutmeat will be lost.

It is also possible that small flying insects may have laid eggs
inside some of your acorns while they were drying in the sun, if they
could find a convenient entrance to the nutmeat area, such as a crack
or hole or other imperfection. Those eggs will hatch in a short time
and you will be able to identify the bad acorns when they do (they
will have a small hole in them).

If you discover tiny holes in your acorns after they have dried, then
discard the bad acorns and place the acorns without any holes on a
cookie sheet and dry them in a warm oven at 175?F for 15 minutes with
the oven door slightly cracked to let the moisture escape. The heat
will kill any remaining insect larva inside the acorns.

Approximately one-week later, inspect your dried acorns for the third
time and look for mold or worms or other major problems. Discard any
acorns with mold (or process and use them immediately), or the mold
will soon spread throughout your entire batch.

Approximately one-week later, inspect your dried acorns for the fourth
time. Remove and discard any defective or moldy acorns (or process and
use them immediately).

If you discover mold on your acorns at this point, then they were not
thoroughly dry at the beginning. If the mold is not severe, then place
the batch of acorns on a cookie sheet and dry them in a warm oven at
175?F for 15 minutes with the oven door slightly cracked to let the
moisture escape and to kill the mold.

You may now store your thoroughly inspected, dried acorns in a cool,
dry place until you need them. Store your acorns in several different
containers. (Note: Ziplock freezer bags work extremely well for
storing acorns.) If the acorns in one container become unusable, your
other acorns should still be okay. Properly dried and stored, acorns
still in their original shell will remain edible for several months.

As time passes, the inner acorn nutmeat gradually dries out and loses
most of its flavor and it becomes too hard too chew. Therefore you
should process and eat your acorns as soon as practical after
collecting them. The longer they are stored, they more they will
continue to dry out and become unfit for human consumption. Even under
the best storage conditions at room temperature, most acorns will not
be edible after six-months of storage.

If you have freezer storage space available, then you may remove the
acorn nutmeats from their exterior shell and freeze only the nutmeats
inside a ziplock freezer bag. This will help to preserve the moisture
content of the nutmeats and significantly extend their shelf life and
flavor.








.

[wareagle69]

i thought volwest was gone

[Sarge47]

Ready for more?

Acorn Preparation

Acorns must be processed before they can be used in acorn recipes.

Do NOT remove your acorn nutmeats from their protective outer shell
until you are ready to process and eat them. The inner acorn nutmeat
kernels will dry up and shrivel after a few days of exposure to the
air.
Nutmeats

At the top of the picture on the right there are several acorn nutmeat
kernels after they have been removed from their shell.
At the bottom of the picture on the right there are several acorn
nutmeats which have been split in half. The inner white nutmeat
gradually darkens and begins to dry out the longer it is exposed to
the air.

First crack the thin outer shell of the acorn. It will crack easily
with an ordinary nut cracker, or pliers, or by squeezing firmly with
your thumb and forefinger. Only crack the shell. Peel off the shell
and save the inner nutmeat kernel for future processing. Sometimes you
will split the inner acorn nutmeat in half as you crack the outer
shell. That is okay. You may taste one acorn nutmeat kernel from each
batch of acorns to determine if one of your local trees produces
sweeter acorns than the other trees. After chewing and tasting, you
should spit it out.

Our bodies are all different and we can not all eat the same foods as
everyone else. For example, some people are allergic to milk and milk
products. It is always a good idea to eat a very small amount of any
new food that you have never eaten before to determine whether or not
your body will have an adverse reaction to it. Therefore, if you have
never eaten acorn nutmeats before, then you should only eat ONE and
see how your body reacts. If you are allergic to other nuts, then you
will probably not be able to eat acorn nutmeats. And you should NOT
eat and swallow an acorn nutmeat until AFTER you have removed the
tannic acid from the acorn nutmeats.
Tannic Acid

All acorns contain tannic acid (or tannin). White Oak acorns contain
very little but Red Oak acorns contain a lot. The good news is that
tannic acid is water soluble and it can be easily leeched out of the
acorns using either:

1. boiling, or
2. cold water flushing.

Too much boiling will result in a loss of nut flavor and it will
change the consistency of the nutmeats into a gooey mess.

There are also two ways to process the acorn nutmeats:

1. as whole nutmeat kernels, or
2. as ground nutmeats.


Whole Nutmeat Kernels

If your original taste test of the raw unprocessed acorn nutmeats
revealed little or no noticeable bitterness, then you may process your
nutmeats as whole kernels. This preserves the appearance of the nut
and it is useful because some recipes specify whole nuts. It also
makes eating the nuts as a snack much easier.
Ground Nutmeats

If your original taste test of the raw unprocessed acorn nutmeats
revealed an unpleasant degree of bitterness, then grinding the
nutmeats is necessary because it allows the tannic acid to be removed
with minimum boiling or flushing. Begin with whole acorn nutmeat
kernels (without the cap and without the shell). Crush or grind the
acorn nutmeats into smaller pieces or into a coarse meal using a hand
grinder, or a flat rock, or a blender. If you use a blender, then add
a little water to make a liquid mush.
Boiling Method
(May be used with whole nutmeat kernels or ground nutmeats.)

Fill two pots with clean fresh water. Each pot should contain enough
water to completely cover the acorn nutmeats (but don't add the
nutmeats yet). Turn on the heat to the first pot of water. Taste one
of the unprocessed nutmeats to determine the degree of bitterness it
contains before boiling.

Note: Add pickling or canning salt to the final pot of boiling water
before adding the nutmeats. The salt enhances the flavor of the
nutmeats and it also increases their storage life.

Note: It is NOT uncommon for many white oak acorns to contain little
or no noticeable bitterness. However, we are not all gifted with the
same degree of sensitivity in our taste buds. What may taste pleasant
to you may taste slightly bitter to someone else. And regardless of
how they taste, all acorns contain some tannic acid. Therefore, you
should boil all acorn nutmeats at least ONE time. But you may stop
after one boiling if your original taste test revealed little or no
bitterness in the original unprocessed acorn nutmeats. If you are only
going to boil one time you will not need the second pot and you should
add the salt to the first pot of boiling water BEFORE you add the
nutmeats.

First Boil: When the first pot starts to boil, add the acorn nutmeats
to the first pot of boiling water and immediately turn off the heat to
the first pot. Turn on the heat to the second pot to start the water
in the second pot boiling. Wait 30 minutes and the water in the first
pot will be brown. Pour the acorns and the brown water through a
strainer or coffee filter to separate the nutmeats from the brown
water. (Note: Save the brown water from the first boiling for one of
the uses suggested elsewhere in this summary.) (Note: If there was no
noticeable bitterness to begin with and you are only using one boil,
then skip down to the drying instructions below.) Taste one of the
nutmeats. If the bitterness is almost gone then you will not need a
third boiling and you should add the salt to the second pot of boiling
water.

Second Boil: Put the nutmeats into the second pot of boiling water and
immediately turn off the heat. Rinse the first pot and fill with fresh
water for the third boiling. Wait 30 minutes. Strain the nutmeats from
the brown water in the second pot. (Discard the brown water unless you
want to keep it for another purpose.) Taste one nutmeat. If the
bitterness is gone, then skip down to the drying instructions below.
If the bitterness is almost gone, then add the salt to the third
boiling. However, if the bitterness is still unpleasant, then wait
until the fourth boiling to add the salt.

Third Boil: Follow instructions for second boil. Then taste one
nutmeat. The original bitterness should be gone and it should have a
sweet, nutlike flavor. (If the nutmeats should fail your taste test at
this point, then boil a fourth time.)

Dry the nutmeats following the drying instructions below.

Note 1: If you switch the nutmeats from boiling water into cool water
and then bring the water to a boil, you will lock in the bitterness
and you won't be able to get it out.
Note 2: Do NOT let wet nutmeats sit for hours between boilings. The
nutmeats will mold if you do.
Cold Water Flushing Method
(May be used with whole nutmeat kernels or ground nutmeats.)

Put the acorn nutmeats inside a clean pillowcase and leech in cold
running water (faucet or stream) for several hours until the bitter
taste is gone. Periodically squeeze as much water out of the
pillowcase and acorn nutmeats as you can without damaging the
nutmeats. Then continue rinsing. When the nutmeats no longer taste
bitter, you can stop rinsing. Then dry the nutmeats following the
drying instructions below.
Drying

If you need the damp acorn nutmeats in a bread recipe you may use them
immediately without drying. However, if you are not going to use the
nutmeats until later, you MUST dry them.

After removing the tannin using either boiling or flushing, spread the
damp nutmeats in a thin layer on a baking tray and dry slowly in a
warm oven (175?F to 200?F) with the door slightly cracked to let the
moisture escape. Or place the tray of damp nutmeats in the sun near a
window. (If you dry them outside in the sun, cover them with a clean
screen or the wildlife will steal them.)

If you are drying ground nutmeats, the dried meal will be caked and it
will need to be ground again.

If you are drying whole nutmeat kernels, you may eat them like nuts.
Or use them in recipes that use whole nuts. Or you may process some of
them into grits or meal on an as-needed basis.

[Sarge47]

I saw that WE! Here's another load!

Acorn Grits

Follow the tannin removal and drying instructions for acorn nutmeats
above. Then pound or grind into course meal or grits. Acorn grits may
be used in acorn recipes in place of chopped nuts.
Acorn Meal (or Acorn Flour)

Follow above Grits recipe but grind the acorns into a fine meal.
Storage of Acorn Grits or Acorn Meal

Store in a sealed, glass jar in a cool, dark place. They will keep for
several weeks in the refrigerator or for several months in the
freezer. Frozen nutmeats will retain their original flavor for about
10 months (or until the next crop of acorns is ready to be harvested).
Because they contain nut oil, they will go rancid if left in a warm
environment after they have been processed.

Caution: If stored for a very long time, smell them before using. If a
musty smell is present, throw them away.

Uses for the Brown Acorn Water

Save the brown water from the first boiling (discussed above). The
brown water should be stored in the refrigerator. With the passage of
time a mold will form on top of the water and you will need to boil
the water again to kill the mold. Then refrigerate the water again
until needed. The brown water may be used in any of the following
ways:

Laundry Detergent: Two cups of the brown water can be used as laundry
detergent for one load of clothes. Your clothes will smell very good
but lighter colors (and whites) will take on a tan tint.
Traditional Herbal Home Remedies: The brown water has both antiseptic
and antiviral properties.

1. It can be used to wash the skin to ease the discomfort of skin
rashes, burns, and small cuts.
2. It can be used externally to help treat hemorrhoids.
3. Pour some of the water into ice cube trays and freeze it. Then
rub it on poison ivy blisters. It soothes and heals the blisters and
helps reduce the itching. It is very effective on about 95% of the
people who try it and the poison ivy is cured in three days. The cold
ice helps to soothe the inflamed tissues.

Hide Tanning: The brown water can be used in the process of animal
hide tanning. Just soak the clean, scraped animal hides in the water.
The reason the bitter ingredient in acorns is called "tannic acid" is
because it was originally used to tan animal hides.

Basic Acorn Recipes

Acorn grits may be deep fried and eaten as a side dish.

Acorn grits may be added to soups or salads.

Acorn grits may be fried briefly in a skillet and then used as one of
the ingredients in a granola snack recipe.

Acorn meal may be used in most recipes for 1/4 of the flour or for 1/4
the corn meal. However, since acorn meal contains natural sweetness,
you should reduce any other sweeteners in the recipe by 1/4.

100% Acorn Bread will be hard if baked too long and crumbly if not
baked long enough.

Ground acorn nutmeats may be roasted and then used as a weak coffee substitute.
Indian Acorn Griddlecakes
2 cups acorn meal 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup water
Preparation: Combine everything and beat to a stiff batter. Let stand
for one hour.
Cook: Heat 1 tbsp. of fat or oil in frying pan. Drop batter into pan
to form cakes about 3 to 4 inches across. Brown cakes slowly on both
sides. These cakes will keep for several days.

Mexican Acorn Tortillas
2 cups acorn meal 3/4 cup flour 2 tsp. salt
Preparation: Mix ingredients. Add just enough water to make a stiff
dough. Let stand for 30 minutes.
Cook: Squeeze into small balls and then press each ball into a very
thin flat cake. Fry in a lightly greased skillet until brown on both
sides. Use just enough fat or oil to prevent sticking.

Acorn Pemmican Tortilla
1/2 cup acorn meal 1 pound lean meat, cut in thin strips Several tortillas
Cook: Boil the lean meat in salted water until tender. Drain and allow
to dry. Grind the meat and the acorn meal together using a fine
grinding blade. Mix well and then grind a second time. Heat and serve
wrapped in a tortilla, or on any flat bread.
Variation: Add cooked white rice, or cooked beans, or hot sauce, or
grated cheese as part of the tortilla stuffing.

Pioneer Acorn Bread and Acorn Muffins
1 cup acorn meal 1 cup flour 1 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. baking powder 3 tbsp. oil 1 cup milk (or water)
Optional: You may add 1 egg to the above ingredients.
Preparation: Combine milk, egg (if available), and oil and beat until
smooth. Mix in the acorn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder and stir
into a smooth dough. Place in a greased bread pan.
Cook: Bake at 400?F for 30 minutes. Cool and serve.
Variation: Acorn Muffins: Fill greased muffin tins about 2/3 full with
above mixture and bake at 400?F for 20 minutes.

Pioneer Acorn Pancakes
Preparation: Use the above recipe for Pioneer Acorn Bread, but use 2
eggs and 1 1/4 cups milk.
Cook: Drop batter from a ladle onto a hot greased grill. When bottom
is brown, turn once and brown other side. Serve with butter, or syrup,
or honey, or jelly, or fresh fruit.

Breakfast Acornmeal (Similar to Oatmeal)
1 cup acorn meal 2.5 cups water 1/8 cup hickory nuts or black walnuts, crushed
1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. honey or sugar
Boil the water with the salt. Add the acorn meal and continue boiling
for 15 minutes. Turn off heat. Allow to cool for about five minutes.
Stir in the honey and nuts. Very satisfying and delicious, and it will
provide enough energy for a day of rigorous physical activity.

Acorn and Corn Meal Mush
1/2 cup acorn meal 4 cups water
1 cup corn meal 1 tsp. salt
Cook: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in the top half of a double
boiler. Add the salt. Sprinkle the acorn meal slowly into the boiling
water and stir continuously. Then add the corn meal. When the mixture
starts to bubble, it should be able to support a plastic or wooden
stirring spoon in the center without the spoon falling over. If too
thick, add a little water. If too thin, add a little more cornmeal.
Then put the mixture which is in the top half of the double boiler
into the bottom half of the double boiler which contains boiling
water. Simmer about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any
lumps, until the mush becomes thick. Serve hot for breakfast, lunch,
or supper.
Variation: May be served with a topping of milk, or butter, or grated
cheese, or bacon bits, or honey, or sugar, or fruit, or jam.
Variation: Pour above finished, cooked mush into a greased loaf pan
and put in the refrigerator for about 8 hours. It will become solid
and then it can be sliced with a knife into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Coat each slice with flour and fry in a very thin layer of oil, one
side at a time. Serve with butter, or syrup, or jam (similar to French
toast).

Acorn Bread
2 cups acorn meal 1/2 cup milk (or water) 1 tbsp. baking powder
2 cups wheat flour 3 tbsp. butter or olive oil 1 egg (optional)
Optional Sweeteners: Add 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup or sugar, if available.
Preparation: Combine all the above ingredients and pour into a loaf pan.
Cook : Bake at 400?F for 30 minutes or until done. Yields a moist
bread with a sweet nutty flavor.

Glazed Acorn Treats
Boiled dry whole acorn kernels 2 cups sugar 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar 1 cup water
Preparation: Mix and dissolve the sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in
1 cup of water.
Cook: Bring above mixture to a boil in a small pot. Continue to boil
until the mixture first begins to show signs of browning. Then
immediately put the small pot into a larger pot of boiling water to
keep the mixture in a liquid state. (Or use a double boiler.) Use a
pair of tweezers to dip individual whole acorn kernels (previously
shelled, boiled and dried), one at a time into the mixture and then
put each acorn onto a sheet of wax paper to dry and harden. Serve as a
candied covered nut.

Acorn Cookies
2 cups wheat flour 1 cup white (or brown) sugar 1 tsp. baking powder
(or baking soda)
1 cup acorn grits 1/2 cup shortening 1 tsp. salt
Preparation: Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large
bowl, cream the shortening and the sugar. Gradually blend in the dry
ingredients. Then blend in the acorn grits. Pinch off walnut sized
pieces of dough and roll into balls. Place 1.5" apart on a lightly
greased baking sheet.
Cook: Bake at 350?F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly colored.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Variation: Add 1 egg and/or 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

[Sarge47]

Whew! That's the last, hope it helps.


Nutritional Information About Acorns Acorn Nutmeats, Shelled, Dried
Actual Lab Analysis Results Vary for Different Acorn Varieties
and from One Growing Season to the Next

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 ounce (28.4 g)
Minimum and Maximum Values Shown Below

Category Amount % RDV
Calories 109.7 to 144.5 7 %
Calories from Fat 60.9 to 80.3
Total Fat 6.8 to 8.9 g 14 %
Saturated Fat 0.9 to 1.2 g 45 %
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3 to 1.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.3 to 5.7 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg 0 %
Total Carbohydrate 11.5 to 15.2 g 5 %
Protein 1.7 to 2.3 g 5 %
Vitamins
Vitamin A 11.06 to 11.14 IU Less 1%
B1, Thiamin 0.03 to 0.042 mg 3 %
B2, Riboflavin 0.03 to 0.044 mg 3 %
B3, Niacin 0.52 to 0.68 mg 3 %
B5, Pantothenic Acid 0.20 to 0.27 mg 3%
Vitamin B6 0.15 to 0.20 mg 10%
Vitamin B12 0.0 mcg 0 %
Vitamin C 0.0 mcg 0 %
Vitamin D 0.0 mcg 0 %
Vitamin E 0.0 mcg 0 %
Minerals
Calcium, Ca 11.62 to 15.34 mg 2 %
Copper, Cu 0.18 to 0.23 mg 12 %
Iron, Fe 0.22 to 0.29 mg 2 %
Magnesium, Mg 17.58 to 23.29 mg 6 %
Manganese, Mn 0.38 to 0.39 mg 10 %
Phosphorus, P 22.40 to 29.52 mg 3 %
Potassium, K 152.81 to 201.36 mg 10%
Sodium, Na 0.0 mg 0 %
Zinc, Zn 0.15 to 0.19 mg 1 %
Amino Acids
Alanine 0.100 to 0.131 g
Arginine 0.135 to 0.177 g
Aspartic Acid 0.181 to 0.238 g
Cystine 0.031 to 0.041 g
Glutamic Acid 0.282 to 0.369 g
Glycine 0.081 to 0.107 g
Histidine 0.049 to 0.064 g
Isoleucine 0.081 to 0.107 g
Leucine 0.140 to 0.183 g
Lysine 0.110 to 0.143 g
Methionine 0.029 to 0.039 g
Phenylalanine 0.077 to 0.101 g
Proline 0.070 to 0.092 g
Serine 0.075 to 0.098 g
Tryptophan 0.021 to 0.028 g
Threonine 0.067 to 0.089 g
Tyrosine 0.053 to 0.070 g
Valine 0.099 to 0.129 g
Other
Ash 0.386 to 0.506 mg
Folate, DFE 24.66 to 32.66 mcg


Click on www.grandpappy.info/indexrec.htm for more Basic Recipes.

[wareagle69]

now i forget what i was doing

[trax]

i thought volwest was gone

Gone? (scanning the area quietly for someone new to pick on)