Eating ACORNS 🌰: How to Forage, Store, & Cook Acorns 

As a squirrel, I must voice my protest.

I was gathering pecans today and, walking back to my car passing through a crunchy carpet of acorn, thought to myself: "Too bad people can't eat acorns." And then this. The specificity of recommendation coincidence is a trip sometimes.

Dendrologist here! In general, red oak species tend to have a much higher tannin content than white oak species. White oaks also tend to have a higher sugar to protein content. This is why many species of wildlife tend to go after the white oak acorns first. Another good reason to not let the white oak acorns sit is they germinate immediately whereas red oaks often need to overwinter (cold stratify). Awesome video! Thank you for the content!

As a Korean, I would like to add that acorn jelly is very tasty and also low in empty calories than processed grain :) (it's considered a good food to eat when on a diet)

Personally I prefer just raking up all the acorns up into a bucket and using the float test to sort out the good from the bad. Basically, if the acorn has been eaten inside it will float in water and it quick lets you sort the majority of the good from bad. As a bonus it makes it so you don't leave bad acorns under the tree where the bugs can further infect the tree. A simple, long term pest control for better harvests.

My daughter and I saw your video at 4 PM, then collect/process for a half corn meal/half White Oak acorn bread for supper. Added two tablespoons of honey. It tasted almost like banana nut bread at supper. It was awesome.

I've briefly scrolled through the comment section, but found nothing that says how intelligently written, and beautifully read your little lecture is. It's also delivered with a lovely sense of humour. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your RU-vid dissertation, very very weldone! I have a small holding in the hills on the Wales England border. I have too many oak trees to count! So thank you for taking the time and making the effort

I use roasted and ground dandelion roots and mix them with the ground acorn meat before drying them. Gives it a slightly chocolatey/coffee type taste.

The writing of this presentation gets an A+

Never tried eating acorns, I knew you could as a kid but taking the caps off and throwing them at my older brother was always more enjoyable but usually ended in a fight

My dad was in the service with Dave from Davebuilt in the early 50's. They were stationed in France together and Dave was the best man in my parent's wedding. After the service Dave started inventing tools to help the walnut (or nut) industry in California. I attest his inventions and designs are first rate, and Dave is honest in his dealings. It was a surprise to see his nutcracker in the video. My father owns one, and I've used it, and it works great!

I've heard stories from my family that during ww2 in cities in the Soviet Union, people would try to make use of the acorns to make food because of how starved they were while under siege. But, a lot of those people or at least some of them died from the acorns and because of this I assumed they were poisonous. After a bit of research I found that the tanin which apparently is indeed toxic, was probably what caused the deaths but the leaching process makes the acorns completely safe. Glad to see an in depth guide on how to do this stuff and this really made me realize how underused this stuff was

You are the first person to ever mention the Yurok! My family comes from Weitchpec and we still own land there. The Yuroks spend most of the fall across the Klamath River gathering acorns. My childhood memories are rich with gathering acorns for my Great Grandmother to make porridge.

I am sure that when I was a child I was warned that acorns were poisonous. I have since learned that most of the stuff I learned as a child was wrong.

When changing the water to leach bring the change of water to a boil before adding as cold water helps to bind the tannins to the nutmeat. It takes just 3 or 4 changes of water using the only hot water method. In the mid Atlantic area Chestnut Oak give you best and largest acorns you will commonly find. Acorn flour that still tastes bitter can be used as a coating over various fruits for drying, it works fantastic with persimmons. Just rinse off the flour before eating, keeps bugs off and the fruit from sticking to everything.

Thank you for this! When I was younger I read about how the local tribes where I grew up would eat acorns as part of their diet. So at one point I crushed an acorn with a nutcracker and tasted it to see what it was like. As you might imagine, I concluded that my modern palate was too far removed from theirs to find it remotely palatable. I'm pleased to see that-perhaps predictably-I was doing it wrong!

I took a field ecology class in college. We did a lesson on hunter gatherers where we had to collect acorns with different "technology" (bare hands, with bags, as a team etc). The TA then gave us extra credit for taking our acorns home, making flour and bringing him something edible. It was a really interesting class!

I can't believe I've been living in my house going on 25 yrs with a laurel oak in my front yard not realizing I could eat the acorns or if nothing else collect them for my chickens! I so glad I just happened to see this video!! Thank You!

This is a tree-mendous video you've put together! I knew you could eat them, I just didn't realize how valuable they were as a food stuff. Thank you so much for taking the time. With October upon us, I plan on doing some acorn collecting and making a heap of flour.

This is a great video, I collected & processed acorns into flour one year and used it in cookies & pancakes. Southern Oregon oak species include saddlers oak, black oak and tan oak which were important food sources for local tribes. It is a mistake to assume tribes did not tend the land or practice agriculture. Most tribes intentionally tended the land with fire, burning under different conditions for different purposes. Fire helped reduce the vegetation under oak canopies making acorns easier to collect, reducing the insect density and reducing competition with oak seedlings, ensuring oak trees of many ages so there were always young trees to replace those lost. Tribes also used fire to drive game into confined areas to make hunting easier, stimulate new growth attractive to browsing game and modify shrub growth to generate wood suitable for tools & arrows. While it is true the tribes of southern Oregon and Northern California did not live in permanent settlements they had an annual cycle that brought them back to the same areas every year. Many tribes had policies whereby areas of valuable resources such as camas swales or berry patches belonged to individual families, and were passed down the matriarchal lineage. Most of these resources were managed to ensure they were not over harvested and even expanded over time. Woodlands & forests were managed for specific species with intentional planting of beneficial species and removal of less useful ones, resulting in food forests with higher than normal concentrations of food plants. The remnants of these historic food forests can still be found. I would argue that they were practicing agriculture and land stewardship, they cared for the land to ensure there was enough food left for the animals and that the plants would persist to feed future generations. European settlers did not find an untouched wilderness but one that had been intentionally developed through thousands of years of stewardship. Blessings 😊

During much of the 20th century my family, like many Germans, survived by eating cabbage, nettles, potatoes, and acorns. Acorn coffee was standard fare, especially, when even roasted grain was not available to many people anymore. Thank you for a very well-done video.

In the middle ages acorn was staple food, since it was easier to get than oat, rye, barley, and wheat, the latter being one of the most expensive flours for peasants. The reason why acorn were easier to get is that because oak used to be grown in great quantities throughout Europe ever since the iron age, because it not only provided acorn, but the wood was excellent to make a great deal of things, and it was used as forage for cattle during winter times. There used to be entire oak forests back in the day.

Something made with acorns would be GREAT for Thanksgiving! Good conversation piece too :)

Surrounded by oak trees, maple trees, beech trees and birch trees. I can honestly say I could not starve. Not to mention the berries and vegetation growing low on the ground. This is nuts!

Allow me to confirm your assumption that acorns make good feed for pigs in addition to the other animals you've actually fed with acorns. The world's most prized (and expensive) ham is called Jamón Iberico, and it comes from Spain. There, black hoofed pigs are raised running free in the forest, where an important part of their diet includes acorns. It is said that the distinctive flavor of the jamón iberico contains many of the same nutty and sweet tasting notes that you mention in your video.

Well, my mom was right when she said to me, "I don't ever have to worry about you going hungry, you'll always find SOMETHING to eat"!!🤣 Thanks for sharing and you're right..."the world looks different" now. Sending my friend this link as she once picked one up and said..."I wonder if you can eat acorns? 🤔

Love love love that you used all manual tools.

I had a little Jersey milk cow, Bubbles, she loved lapping up the acorns under the oak trees. Even after eating several pounds of acorns, she didn't show any signs of discomfort or have any digestive issues. Bubbles did this every fall for many years without any ill effects. On the contrary the acorns seemed to be good for her.

During hard times, this information could save lives. Thanks!

The way you described the taste of acorns just made me want to make acorn cookies. I imagine they'd taste amazing!

I thank you!! For over a decade I've had a red oak pummeling me on my deck. I was recommended your video since I study a lot of forging and living off the land. I've reached and watched and read so much but not once do I recall ever hearing anyone say acorns can be a staple!! My gosh! The food we could supply or even educate others it would surely cut down famine and hunger. But we all know these problems are created to bring about precreated solutions... We must educate ourselves and others as the profiteers surely won't in a meaningful way.

Subbed. When I was a boy my teacher tried to tell me that acorns were poisonous, I looked her dead in the eye and asked "Then why aren't all the squirrels dead?"

Wow. I always thought maybe there was something in them that was bad for people or something. I guess I just thought that cuz I’ve only seen squirrels eat them, but never people. I was landscaping at some apartments a few years back. There was a large population of Ethiopians there. The ‘eldest’ woman of their group would watch me work and just be looking at me so hateful and I couldn’t understand why. But one day someone explained to me that these certain weeds I was pulling up and throwing out was something they cooked with. So that day, once my tarp had a huge heap, I offered her what was there. She was so grateful that she would always try to give me food and little gifts after that. It was so sweet. The experience was humbling to me. I think partially in recognition of how simply understanding eachother can make such a difference. But also because it made me realize how much we overlook or take for granted here in the US. Father please help us to recognize that YOU have ALWAYS provided for your children, and ALWAYS will.

So happy to have found your channel. Thank you for such an enlightening experience.

This is a fantastic video - thank you for such well-presented, thorough information!

I store my red oak acorns in the shell for over a year. They crack easier and leach quicker. Once leached, I dry for storage. The thin skin sloughs off once dry. I always leach tannins with cold water as the heat leaches out starch also. Shells and caps can be used for cloth dye for a nice acorn color to wool.

I live in Korea and I was actually under the impression that Korea was the ONLY country that eats acorn (called 도토리 - dotori here). The jelly you talked about is called 도토리묵 (dotori mook) and I love it. This video makes me believe I can make it when I go back to the States!

I’ve watched at least a half a dozen videos on how to use acorns and this was hands down the best. I love in the Northeast and eat a plant based diet and this can be a wonderful protein source for me and they’re free !! 😊

This was an enjoyable and educational watch. Looking forward to try!

If you continue making this level of quality consistently you will blow up

This is an extra ordinary simple, practical, and interesting presentation. I’ve suggested that some young students look at it, as well as some community members. A+ level. Thanks so much.

You are a treasure. Extremely well explained from any point ! Thank you.

Thank you for all of your information.

Native Americans used acorns, making a bread from them and other food products. As for books, if you can find them, the books called "Fox Fire," are a treasure trove of knowledge from the people living in the Appalachian mountains, and they can teach you everything, from cooking up a possum, to wild plants for food and medicine, even how to cook up a batch of moonshine! "For medicinal and special occasions!"

We used to finish about 60 pigs each fall (formerly Afton Field Farm) on acorns in our 5 acre oak grove of 100+ year old white oaks. The pork was amazing and our customers clambered for it! We also loved it because it easily cut our feed cost in half during that time!!

This is really helpful and so inspiring. Well done.

There is a gorgeous red oak in my front yard. Now I finally know how to process them. Thank you!

This is the most informative and well-edited video I could find on acorn processing. You know I'm smashing those like and subscribe buttons.

This is everything that an informative video SHOULD be!

In my Baltic town we have many acorn trees but sadly all the white oak trees seem to have a disease. A few trees seemed pretty hardy so I have gathered a lot of prime acorns to try to spout them and plant the seedlings in an open forest patch, away from disease. Now the red oak trees were bursting with fat nuts so I gather them for the few squirrels and deer. I was all ready to go out and gather another batch before leaves cover them. Will come back to this. Saved this YT.

Looking forward to trying these exciting recipes!

Awesome video, my son whose only 8 said acorns where edible....I'm 32 and NEVER knew this😅 we will be foraging this year's crop and working together with the help of your video! Thank you so much!!

In the Netherlands when I was yong. The schools in our town had once a year a acorn weigh in for pig feed. The children got paid for the kilo's acorn the gathered.

This is a great resource. Thanks!!!

That was really cool! My mind has gone blank, but many years ago I remember reading an autobiography of a British paratrooper who fell behind enemy lines in Italy during WWII and the Italian family that hid him used acorns in much of their cooking. He wrote about it in great detail and said how at the time, it was considered 'poor man's flour' and everyone longed for good old wheat flower, which was unavailable to peasants. Fascinating stuff! I live have spent many years in Asia and I have had acorn jelly and other acorn flavored products. I always liked the flavor.

How do you... only have 83 subscribers??? This is superbly informative, and fantastically edited!

I actually tried gathering and processing acorns once as a kid, after watching a documentary on Native Americans that showed a bit on it. I didn't know about the leaching, so it came out super bitter, but otherwise I'm surprised that I hit as many of the needed steps as I did with so little knowledge. Can't wait to try again. XD

Just went out today to collect the first of the good nuts, and have the meal drying in the oven right now. Thanks for the helpful video!

Great, informative video. I enjoyed from start to finish.

When I was a kid, I always fantasized about making acorn pie, now I know I can, thanks.

A while back I read "My Side of the Mountain" (catching up on all the suggested reading I never had the patience for as a kid) and in it the main character did a lot of foraging and survivalist things. Including harvesting acorns for flour and to use in pancakes! The idea of it (and foraging for something more than a quick snack on a hike) was frankly kinda amazing to me since I never looked at an acorn and thought of it as food. Like, I knew that people lived off the land before modernization. It just never really occurred to me that you could still forage or grow your own food rather than buy it all at a store.

Wow, this is great information! I upvoted and subscribed even before the video ended, and I'll share this with my friends.

Wow! Incredible!!! Thank you! I had no idea!!

I remember the delicious acorn bread my mom made during my childhood. I have long wanted to try making it myself so I was very happy when this video popped up in my feed.

i grew up in NORCAL and my parents took me to Miwok Grinding Rock State Park a lot. There is a MASSIVE flat boulder that has holes dug in it that they used as a gigantic mortar and pestle to prepare acorns. If you ever get a chance to go it's really neat.

I love this and have shared with my family! Texas is notorious for thousands of oaks and they are easy pickings even in the city. I have a wheat allergy and this video was recommended after viewing other grain bread recipes. I love that you explained the process so well that anyone can attempt this ! Plus it’s going to rain tomorrow and something to do!! ❤

I like the style of your presentation. You sound very sincere and cheerful about your subject.

the extra resources you give makes this already excellent video, absolutely a masterpiece.

Nutloaf. 2 cups of coarse ground dry white acorn meats from California Valley oaks. Leach to taste thru dedicated sackcloth and wring dry. Now use still wet as you would hamburger in your favorite meatloaf recipe. (You can substitute popped popcorn for breadcrumbs.) Also makes good meatballs over spaghetti squash. Secret ingredient: rosemary.

You are quickly becoming my favorite homesteading channel! Well-researched presentations expertly videoed makes learning easy! Plus, thanks for including links to topics and resources you mention in the narrative. Thank you very much! I look forward to watching more of your videos and learning.

Very informative and well done. Thank you

Growing up we used to take the acorn cap and use it as a whistle.

Add coarse-acorn-flour to homemade sausage or meatloaf, add fine acorn-flour to cornbread or tamale-masa, include it in pemmican recipes with wild berries for nutritious long-lasting survival-rations; mix coarse-ground acorn meal with soft cheese for an appetizer spread, or dust pizza pan and dough with it as a non-stick substitute for cornmeal.

This was brilliant, thank you!!!

I've wondered about this all my life - particularly when I see them abundantly covering a parking lot

Acorns can also be frozen for quite a long time and cracking them after freezing helps get the tests off with the shell more easily! Not super practical bc they're so bulky, but if you're doing smaller batches of cold leaching, It can be helpful! Great video , I am so excited to stumble across your channel :D

As a kid I always thought acorns tasted like ear wax. As an adult, I try not to think about how I knew that.

This was informative and fascinating! I really enjoy your sense of humor, too. Subbing! ❤

Fantastic I am almost 70 and I love this

Thank you for the information. When I was a child we used to gather acorns for fun. Ne er ate them and left them for the squirrels. Never new they were able to be utilized as human food.

It’s my first time watching your channel. I’ve been watching Les strouds wild harvest series here on RU-vid so the algorithm must’ve recommended your video! You’re so knowledgeable and articulate. Really amazing video :D

You have a new subscriber, lady! This is exactly what I was looking for! You rule!

Little grubby nut destroyers! Well put! I loved this video! Well done it’s so nicely made and you explained everything in depth and it’s so pleasant to listen to and watch. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! 😊

I don't know if it is the only reason,but as a child ( France) my grandma told me they used to make acorn coffee during WW2 because of shortages. Maybe using acorn as a food reminded our elders about those dark times ? I know some tasty vegetables like rutabagas were kind of forgotten after the war because people associated them with food shortages, since they were easy to grow, easy to store crops

Thank you for the wonderful info on gathering and processing acorns. I can verify that pigs love them. My neighbor pet pig escapes every fall to come and visit out oak trees. 😀

Enjoyable and delightful! Thank you. I'm going to do that! It sounds so practical AND delicious!

Think I've watched this video like 5 times now while trying to do my first " 'corn huntin' " Super grateful!

In California they have a "Grinding Rock" park that is dedicated to the Large ancient oak trees, where the natives lived grinding their acorns.

I'm glad I ran across your channel! I think a person can learn a few things at this day and age with everything going on!

Great info and production value

This brings joys to my belly and smiles to our families. Love & blessings ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜😇🙏

Finally someone who eats acorns besides this old man been doing it all my life taught by my grandpa. New sub. just found your channel new to the internet to be honest about it. Solid video thank you 👍👍

I add acorn flour to all my baked goods. I add about 10-20% acorn flour to bread, piecrusts and pastries. Acorn flour is also a gluten free gravy thickener. I like to make the Korean dish, dotorimuk. This is a bland slice of acorn jelly with a variety of flavorful sauces.

i will be using this. Many thanks for your efforts.

I LOVED this video! Thank you so much for this! ☺❤

I love how you can make a whistle out of cap.

Wow. Such a most informative video. My granny used to make coffee from it but I did not know how. In JHB South Africa there are hundreds of acorn or oak trees and I always wondered what could be done with it.

An excellent and informative video, many thanks.

Thank you for this intriguing introduction to historic natural food.

I was just wondering if acorns were people food 🤔 and here you were! So glad to know this! Thank you so much 💓