Comments on: How to Make Acorn Flour http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm Intelligent Know-How for the Concerned Citizen Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:46:45 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tactical Intelligence http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-534 Tactical Intelligence Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:24:32 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-534 Hey Greg, I've used red oak quite often when making acorn flour with great results. If you grind the acorns down to a course powder and boil that it usually will not take more than three boilings to leech out the tannins (at around 10-15 min per boiling session). You are absolutely right about making sure that the water is boiling before putting the acorns in (at each session) to ensure that the tannins don't "set". Also, if you can't grind the acorns before boiling, just keep changing the water and boiling until the water no longer becomes dark from the tannins. As far as storing the acorns, I found it best to simply process all the acorns and dry them into flour as explained above. The flour will store for a long time in the refrigerator. If you don't have time to process them, store them in large ziplock bags, but don't put them in the freezer (as some suggest) since I've found that they turn black and get ruined. Instead put them in the refrigerator until ready to use. As far as how much to make, it seems as though 2 cups of acorns will make around 1 cup of flour. So just figure out how much flour you will need and adjust. The acorn recipe is actually in the <a href="http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-eat-cattail.htm" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">How to Eat Cattail</a> article at the bottom. Just use 2 cups of acorn flour instead of 1 cup acorn / 1 cup cattail. Hope that helps! Let me know if you need anything else. - Erich Hey Greg,

I’ve used red oak quite often when making acorn flour with great results. If you grind the acorns down to a course powder and boil that it usually will not take more than three boilings to leech out the tannins (at around 10-15 min per boiling session). You are absolutely right about making sure that the water is boiling before putting the acorns in (at each session) to ensure that the tannins don’t “set”. Also, if you can’t grind the acorns before boiling, just keep changing the water and boiling until the water no longer becomes dark from the tannins.

As far as storing the acorns, I found it best to simply process all the acorns and dry them into flour as explained above. The flour will store for a long time in the refrigerator. If you don’t have time to process them, store them in large ziplock bags, but don’t put them in the freezer (as some suggest) since I’ve found that they turn black and get ruined. Instead put them in the refrigerator until ready to use.

As far as how much to make, it seems as though 2 cups of acorns will make around 1 cup of flour. So just figure out how much flour you will need and adjust.

The acorn recipe is actually in the How to Eat Cattail article at the bottom. Just use 2 cups of acorn flour instead of 1 cup acorn / 1 cup cattail.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you need anything else.

- Erich

]]> By: Greg http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-531 Greg Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:27:32 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-531 Erich, my kids filled a 5 gallon pail of acorns from a huge (estimated at 250 years) red oak I have on my property. I am going to make acorn flour and acorn bread with them this weekend. I have a few questions. Considering the high amount of tannin in red oak acorns for how long do you think I will have to boil the meats and how many changes of water? I read elsewhere that when changing water to be sure to put the meat back into already boiling water--cooler water sets the tannin. Have you heard of this? How many acorns should we use for a reasonable project, and can the left over acorns be dried for later use? If so, in the shell or hulled? Finally, where's the acorn bread recipe you mention to Jimmy? Erich, my kids filled a 5 gallon pail of acorns from a huge (estimated at 250 years) red oak I have on my property. I am going to make acorn flour and acorn bread with them this weekend. I have a few questions. Considering the high amount of tannin in red oak acorns for how long do you think I will have to boil the meats and how many changes of water? I read elsewhere that when changing water to be sure to put the meat back into already boiling water–cooler water sets the tannin. Have you heard of this? How many acorns should we use for a reasonable project, and can the left over acorns be dried for later use? If so, in the shell or hulled? Finally, where’s the acorn bread recipe you mention to Jimmy?

]]> By: Tactical Intelligence http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-522 Tactical Intelligence Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:18:26 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-522 Jimmy, First of all, that's great that you went and made it! Hats off to ya. Knowing that you have that as an option is the most important thing. As for the taste, I'm not sure what recipe you followed, but the bread I make (see recipe above) is really delicious - even to the most picky of eaters. Look forward to seeing if you try any of the other four (pine, cattail etc) - Erich Jimmy,

First of all, that’s great that you went and made it! Hats off to ya. Knowing that you have that as an option is the most important thing.

As for the taste, I’m not sure what recipe you followed, but the bread I make (see recipe above) is really delicious – even to the most picky of eaters.

Look forward to seeing if you try any of the other four (pine, cattail etc)

- Erich

]]> By: Jimmy http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-518 Jimmy Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:10:34 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-518 I tried it this past weekend. (see my blog for pics) I made acorn muffins. This is a LOT of work. Cracking the nuts, boiling them, straining them.... An then the muffins didn't turn out that great. Edible, but not delicious. It's nice to know it can be done in a pinch- but I hope I never have to use acorn flour again! :) I tried it this past weekend. (see my blog for pics) I made acorn muffins. This is a LOT of work. Cracking the nuts, boiling them, straining them…. An then the muffins didn’t turn out that great. Edible, but not delicious. It’s nice to know it can be done in a pinch- but I hope I never have to use acorn flour again! :)

]]> By: How to Eat Cattail http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-510 How to Eat Cattail Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:30:22 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-510 [...] favorite recipes is cattail/acorn bread. The cattail flour combined with the acorn flour from the How to Make Acorn Flour article make a tasty combination with a typical bread [...] [...] favorite recipes is cattail/acorn bread. The cattail flour combined with the acorn flour from the How to Make Acorn Flour article make a tasty combination with a typical bread [...]

]]> By: Erich http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-493 Erich Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:13:52 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-493 That's great Doug! Let me know how it turns out for you. If you need more pointers or help just let me know. That’s great Doug! Let me know how it turns out for you. If you need more pointers or help just let me know.

]]> By: Doug http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-492 Doug Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:41:44 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-492 Alright then, I will, this weekend. Great site, by the way! Alright then, I will, this weekend. Great site, by the way!

]]> By: Erich http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-490 Erich Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:34:37 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-490 Doug, Why next fall? There should still be great acorns lying around ready to be eaten. Try it out if you can! - Erich Doug,

Why next fall? There should still be great acorns lying around ready to be eaten. Try it out if you can!

- Erich

]]> By: Doug http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/how-to-make-acorn-flour.htm/comment-page-1#comment-487 Doug Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:58:10 +0000 http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/?p=558#comment-487 Thanks for the great information. Next fall I'm going to give this a try. Thanks for the great information. Next fall I’m going to give this a try.

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