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Acorn Milk

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— Chef's Note —

The process of making acorn milk is long and difficult, and not everyone enjoys the taste. However, it is an interesting foraging recipe.

You'll need a gallon glass jar (or another storage container) handy. The sweetest acorns will come from white, emory, pin, valley, blue, burr, cork, or bellota oaks.

— Featured In —

♦︎ Aprijuice ♦︎

How to Make Acorn Milk (optional)

— Ingredients —

sweet acorns
sweet acorns
maple syrup
maple syrup

— Instructions —

  1. Dry the acorns in wide, shallow pans (so they don't get moldy). This step is optional, but makes the acorns easier to shell. Be sure to discard any undesirable acorns (with holes or otherwise).
  2. Shell your acorns - this may be easiest with a hammer. Put the de-capped end on a firm surface, and use the hammer on the pointy end. If the acorns are long, flat, and tapered, you can just hammer them on the side.
  3. Leach to remove tannins: when you shell, drop the meat into a blender or food processor until it is about a third full. Add enough water to fill the blender halfway, and blend into slurry. Pour slurry into container until it's half full with ground acorns and half with water. Put the jar in a cool place (under 75 degrees F / 24 degrees C).
  4. Each day, strain the water through cheesecloth, refill, and shake. The acorns are ready when they taste bland, rather than bitter (at least 3 days).
  5. On the final leaching day, decant and discard leached water.
  6. Transfer the acorn mush to a cheesecloth, and strain excess water into a bowl.
  7. Squeeze to ensure all liquid has been drained.
  8. Bring liquid to a boil, then set aside to cool. Add maple syrup as desired for sweetening.
  9. Acorn milk can be stored in the refrigerator up to three days.