Most commonly known for its use in making cork, the Cork Oak tree’s acorns are a delicious nut fruit which can be found for sale in Southern (Western) European and North African markets, already boiled and ready-to-eat, in late November.
The acorns are up to four centimeters long (two inches), and are boiled before eating, similar to the way chestnuts are boiled before peeling. The fruit of the nut tastes sweet, and remarkably like chestnuts. (I would not be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test.) This cooked nut is large and meaty and makes a perfect substitute for chestnuts in any Thanksgiving or Christmas recipes. (The advantages to using acorns over chestnuts is that each acorn contains double the meat of a chestnut, and the step of cutting x‘s in the chestnuts before boiling them can be dispensed with.)
Here is what the boiled acorns look like:
I had never heard of eating acorns, or that the Cork Oak even had an edible fruit.
If you live in North Africa, the name of the fruit (and the name of the tree) is called ba-lote (neither syllable emphasized, and “lote” rhymes with “note, but draw out the long o sound twice as long as it would be in English). They are sold on carts in the medinas (older parts of town) of North African cities and towns.
Doing some research on line, I discovered that oak trees are divided into two main groups, Red Oaks and White Oaks. The White Oaks are all the genus Quercus, while the Red Oaks are the genus Mesobalanus.
Acorns from the various Red Oak species contain much higher amounts of bitter tannins (which interfere with the ability to metabolize protein). The acorns from White Oaks are much lower in tannins, and have a sweet nutty flavor. The Cork Oak tree itself belongs to the White Oak genus, and White Oak is used to make wine barrels.
Acorns are an important food for birds, and for many small and large mammals (pigs, bears, and deer); however, they are toxic to horses. In Portugal and Spain, pigs are turned loose in oak groves in the autumn to fatten themselves before slaughter. (This is similar to American pigs being fattened on peanuts in order to produce the famous Virginia Smithfield hams.)
Acorns have a high nutritional value, and compare well with other nuts in terms of being high in protein and carbohydrates, as well as important minerals. Acorns are are sometimes ground into flour, as well as sometimes roasted and added to coffee drinks.
Are any of my readers eating acorns, anywhere in the world? If so, please tell me about it! I had never heard before today that acorns were an edible fruit; I hope others will have an opportunity to try them.
Enjoy!
–Lynne Diligent
Tags: acorn-fed hogs in Spain and Portugal, acorns are poisonous to horses, acorns as food for birds and mammals, acorns from the cork oak tree, balote is the North African name for the Cork Oak, Christmas recipes using acorns instead of chestnuts, cooking and eating acorns, differences between Red Oak and White Oak, how to cook and eat acorns, map of the habitat range of Quercus suber the Cork Oak, nutty flavor, Oak trees, peanut-fed hogs in America, Smithfield ham, Thanksgiving recipes using acorns instead of chestnuts, the trouble with tannin, Uses of the Cork Oak tree, using acorns as a substitute for chestnuts, which acorns are edible, White Oak acorns have a sweet, why tannin isn't good to eat
November 28, 2011 at 2:08 am |
from Valerie Rude: I may have a cork oak tree growing outside my door here at my assignment location in TX next to the Mexican border. They are plentiful. I’m not going to try to eat one until I know for sure what these nuts are.
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December 4, 2011 at 1:38 am |
New York Times article regarding a great drop in supply of red acorns in the U.S. this year, the expected subsequent crash in the mouse/rodent population, and expected susequent explosion of Lyme Disease in 2010. The article says that this acorn decline may be a regular and long-term survival technique of the Oak tree.
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February 7, 2012 at 2:37 am |
I totally heart this!!!!!!!!!!!!…
[…]Acorns from the Cork Oak Tree Can Be Cooked and Eaten Like Chestnuts « Intercultural Meanderings[…]…
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April 9, 2012 at 2:50 am |
je suis du nord ouest de la tunisie chez nous les gens mangent le gland de la chêne liège rôti et il est de grande importance pour nourrir les animaux( sanglier, mouton , chêvre…)
Translation: “I am from the north west of Tunisia in our people eat the acorn of the cork oak and roasted it is very important to feed the animals (wild boar, sheep, goat …)”
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April 18, 2012 at 6:36 pm |
Hi Lynne!
I enjoyed your post about the Cork Oak Acorn. As a native american I am very aware many Indian groups utilized Acorns as a key food source. Mostly as flour and roasted nuts. Red Acorns are also edible, but must be boiled and rinsed out a number of times to remove the tannin. While it might sound like more trouble, the Red Oaks have a much larger range, and some species are more prolific acorn producers. However many white oaks were particularly favoured. Especially Emory and Live Oak trees. Among others.
The practice of releasing the hogs to feed also was practised with some old Heritage Hog breeds here as well. Thanks for the info.
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April 19, 2012 at 12:59 am |
–Thank you so much, Darren! I’m really glad you found this post of interest. Thank you for the additional interesting information.
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August 12, 2012 at 2:21 pm |
“Tree crops”, published in 1929 by J.Russell Smith describes in detail the various edible acorns and oak tree crops used historically around the Mediterranean and in America. I have a row of 11 young cork oaks germinated from acorns growing with a view to wind break, cattle fodder, and potentially human fodder uses, as well as being fire resistant.
I have also got a quercus macrocarpa – bur oak – growing from an acorn, which has large edible acorns. It might be a few years before get a crop though!
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August 15, 2012 at 3:41 pm |
Thanks so much for sharing your interesting experience, Erich, and it’s great to know that people out there are reading my post and finding it of interest. –Lynne
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January 14, 2013 at 8:00 am |
I am from Iran.In west part of Iran specialy in Lorestan provience and in some parts of Kurdistan provience acorne is a main source of food for people living in rural areas. Acorne is used as bread ( by making flour first) and using in daily meals as well.( I have traslated bellow part from a persian website for your more info.)
Oak fruit is picked from the tree by women and men. Fruit with a knife called “Vrnjvk” skin exposure. Action the fruit of the oak bark “Kykh” they say. The oak bark was made into a pit called “Lhh” where they throw fire. After being Lhh oak, chestnut and also some fire coming down from the high heat, cook it thoroughly. After some time off to Lhh Vblvt get them out and spread them in the sun to dry completely. The oaks at mill hand named “Brdr” which is a Central Vabtdayy very simple, make flour. This is “Tlv” they say. After the substance obtained by boiling water chestnut flour to the dough. Knead flour in a bin or bag may be made of oak. The dough will hold a three-day warm-up match practice quite a fever and localism.
After three days Kzsht, acorn squash into bags or sacks are dumped it in the water. In the absence of running water chestnut paste with cold water wash. Acorn squash in the tub with cold water, the bitter taste is gone sour Vkhmyr.
Chestnut flour is washed out, the water is still in the hand-mill to Asia. The flour on the cloth called “Rygv” are to be taken to the water. Acorn bread acorn squash is ready now to prepare. After being baked bread, chestnut brown and slightly charred tends to be dark. Bread oak Bakhtiari language “Oak Clegg” they say.
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January 14, 2013 at 12:31 pm |
Thank you for this very interesting information from Iran, David! Thank you for taking the time to translate this information from Persian, as well.
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October 26, 2013 at 10:23 pm |
Please wright and email me acorn oak fruit medicinal use .
Thanks . Reuf Moghadam .tex .USA
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November 9, 2013 at 11:50 am |
As I lay here in my garden in southern Spain and hear the sound if nits falling around me, I am thrilled to discover your very informative article which answers my question: are these acorns edible?
My tree is quite fruitful, and I’m glad to know something can be done with them!
Thanks!
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November 9, 2013 at 3:11 pm |
I was excited to find out about them in North Africa, so I’m just as delighted that this post has thrilled you! Thanks for reading!
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December 26, 2013 at 4:33 pm |
Ah, so they were acorns of Q. suber! Ever since I came to Morocco I wondered from which species they were from…. it is nice to find the answer finally. Thanks.
People from my country, Korea, also use acorns for food; we extract starch from them and use it to make a kind of jelly called Dotorimuk. Although acorns from all species can be used to make them, those from Q. acutissima(called Sangsuri in Korean) are most prefered, while acorns from evergreen species that belong to subgenus Cyclobalanopsis are rarely used.
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December 27, 2013 at 1:35 am |
Makes me feel great that you found my post and found it so useful! thanks for reading and commenting.
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January 12, 2014 at 8:51 am |
Very interesting, thanks for sharing how they are used in Korea!
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January 18, 2014 at 5:44 am |
A recent story from NPR on the “paleo diet” of late-Pleistocene hunter-gatherers in Morocco involving acorns:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/01/06/260185944/looks-like-the-paleo-diet-wasnt-so-hot-for-ancient-hunters-teeth
A short URL if that one is truncated: http://n.pr/1cO1ZtQ
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February 15, 2014 at 2:39 am |
Wow, Brian, that article is EXTREMELY interesting. Thank you so much for sharing it!
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April 24, 2014 at 4:44 pm |
Thank you, I never knew the acorns from cork oaks were edible, especially just roasted – I must try it. In California, and much of the US the white, black, blue and live oaks have edible acorns – but not until they are ground and the tannins leached out. Acorn flour/mush was a big part of the diet of native people here for thousands of years. My children like to do this and we make bread and other things with acorn flour. Wildlife: deer, squirrels, birds and others still depend on the acorns and don’t seem to be bothered by the tannins.
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April 29, 2014 at 7:54 pm |
Thank you, it was very interesting to hear how the Native Americans were using them in California.
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December 20, 2014 at 11:00 pm |
They were an important food in the Eastern U.S. Euell Gibbons, the American wild foods guru, speculated that more tons of acorns have been eaten in North America than tons of wheat, based on their centuries of use by native people. I don’t know about that, but white oak acorns (Quercus alba) are delicious when prepared properly. They can be chopped up and boiled first, then kept in the pot for a few days, with a couple changes of fresh water every day. The tannins will leach away. You can dry the meats in the oven, grind them, mix with sugar and butter and you have a cookie with a very unique taste, something like a Heath Bar (a candy bar with caramel flavor.) Bread is fine, but I think a cookie-like amount of sugar brings out the distinct flavor.
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March 27, 2016 at 7:15 pm |
Have anybody heard about a preparation using acorns as a cured for diabetes?
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April 15, 2016 at 12:37 pm |
Just thinking about this, I don’t see why it would have any positive influence on curing diabetes. It may not be harmful, but I see no reason why it would be helpful, either.
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May 6, 2016 at 8:28 pm |
I live in Maroco. And we eat acorns, I buy them from the street. But I am not sure, if they are cooked or rosted.
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December 19, 2017 at 7:48 am |
Very nice, thank you!
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March 22, 2018 at 8:35 pm |
Martin
Thanks for the article. I was thinking of planting Cork Oak as shelter and fodder but then I read somewhere that Oak may be poisonous to cattle. I wonder if any one can shed some light over this question
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June 17, 2018 at 5:47 am |
Acorn Cookies, Pasta, Energy bars and more…
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November 3, 2018 at 4:03 pm |
I found acorns that look just like these in the gardens of Osborne House, Isle of Wight. Identified from Collins British Trees, double checked on Google. I’m newly arrived from the equator and trying to learn. Before looking then too, my friend ate a raw nut, against my advice, so I’m pleased to read that they are edible. MH 03/11/18
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November 3, 2018 at 10:31 pm |
Fascinating! Glad your friend is OK!
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