Most people are discouraged from eating acorns by the daunting task of processing acorns. But, they have a rich earthy flavor enjoyed by people from Europe, Asia, North America, North Africa, and Mid East...
Acorns must be processed to make them edible. The tannins in acorns should be leached out to make them suitable for human consumption. Tannins are known to interfere with digestion by binding proteins into the gastrointestinal tract. Anything that contains tannin should be consumed moderately and with caution...
You can use several ways to reach the tannins, but these ways can be summarised into 2 – cold leaching and hot leaching. The method you want to use is determined by what you want to do with your acorns afterward...
Squirrels know how to leach acorns in cold water by burying them in the ground and leaving them there for an extended period. When the rain comes, the running water makes leaching work natural and easy for them...
Using boiling water ensures you do not put them in cold water at any point as this will bind the tannins, making them bitter. Keep changing the boiling water for the 3rd and 4th time until the water runs clear, and all the bitterness is gone...
Well, how to leach acorns is quite a lot of work. However, the new flavors and new skills you will learn in using nature’s resources are worth it all. Acorns are high in nutrition, making them an excellent addition to your meals.