Roasted Acorns

• 1). Pick through your acorns and discard any with holes or mold or those that have been crushed. Place the acorns in a colander and rinse them with cool water to remove dirt or debris.
  
  
• 2). Shell the acorns with a nutcracker or hammer. Some varieties of acorns have soft shells, making them difficult to open with a nutcracker. If that is the case, place several acorns on half of a towel. Fold the other half of the towel over the acorns and crack open the shells with firm blows from a hammer. Discard the shells.
  
  
• 3). Place the shelled acorns in a large pot. Cover the acorns with cold water. Bring the acorns and water to a boil over high heat on the stove.
  
  
• 4). Drain the acorns in a colander as soon as the water begins to boil. Put the acorns back into the pot and cover them with water again. Repeat the process, bringing them to a boil and draining them. Carry out this process three more times to leach the tannins out of the acorns.
  
  
• 5). Preheat an oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the acorns in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.
  
  
• 6). Bake the acorns for 30 to 60 minutes. Remove them when they start turning golden brown. Allow them to cool before eating.
  
  
• 7). Store the acorns in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay good for up to a month.
  
  

Acorn Flour

• 1). Pick through the acorns and discard spoiled or damaged ones. Rinse them in a colander under cool water. Shell the acorns with a nutcracker or hammer. Throw away the shells.
  
  
• 2). Pour 1 c. of acorn kernels into the opening of a food grinder. Place a large bowl at the opposite end of the grinder. Crank the handle, grinding the acorns into flour. Repeat the process until all kernels are ground.
  
  
• 3). Cover the acorn meal with boiling water. Allow the meal to sit in water for an hour. Drain the water from the meal, pouring it through a fine sieve. Pour boiling water over the meal again, letting the water leach the tannins from the meal. Repeat about five times, or until the meal has a slightly sweet taste.
  
  
• 4). Line another large bowl with two layers of cheesecloth, with enough fabric to hang over the edges of the bowl. Pour the wet meal into the lined bowl. Lift up the edges of the cloth and twist the top to secure the meal into place.
  
  
• 5). Squeeze out the remaining water in the meal. Twist the top part of the cheesecloth to get rid of as much water as possible.
  
  
• 6). Preheat an oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the acorn meal over an ungreased baking sheet. Bake the meal for 60 to 90 minutes until the the meal has turned into a dry, crumbly flour. Mix the meal every 15 minutes as it cooks to dry the flour evenly.
  
  
• 7). Store the acorn flour in a glass container in the refrigerator. Use it in breads, muffins, pancakes and other baked goods. Sprinkle the flour in oatmeal or cooked cereals to add a nutty flavor to your breakfast.