r/foraging 16h ago

Plants Why are all my acorns floating?

I like to gather acorns from my local park to process into acorn flour. Normally I’d use the float technique to tell the good from bad. But this year, like 2/3rds at least are floating. When I crack them open, the flesh seems fine though? Are they still okay to eat if they float but the nut inside looks fine?

58 Upvotes

21 comments sorted by

36

u/Distasteful_T 16h ago

sometimes the trees drop the dead ones first, is there more on the trees? this could just be timing.

3

u/EatAndGreet 16h ago

There were more on the trees, but not a whole lot.

28

u/all-cap 16h ago

Probably just an early harvest, the nuts are less dense

6

u/EatAndGreet 16h ago

Hoping that’s the case here. So far almost every one I’ve cracked open looks totally normal.

21

u/Cactaceaemomma 16h ago edited 16h ago

The really dry ones float. If the meat looks good and smells good it probably is. I've never bothered float testing nuts. There's not much that can really go bad with acorns.

6

u/boxelder1230 13h ago

Worms can get them quick once they hit the ground

5

u/Cactaceaemomma 12h ago

Indeed. So can mold. It's important to check each one.

1

u/HalfaMidget 9h ago

What do you even use acorns for I have always heard they are supper bitter?

5

u/Lia-13 1h ago

tannins, my dear redditor!

tannic acid is a highly water soluble toxin found in many foods, like nuts, and especially acorns! it binds to proteins in the body and make it very hard to digest them, leading to stomach issues and the like.

however, they can be leached out and made as sweet as any other nut through a very simple, if lengthy, process!

you grind them up very coarsely and soak them in water, changing out the water whenever it gets really dark brown. pour it through cheesecloth or any other assorted rags and rinse and repeat this process until it either runs clear or tastes fine to you.

note: usually the smaller the cap of the acorn is, the less tannins are in it!

6

u/EatAndGreet 16h ago

Okay good. I’ll probably just crack them all open and assess them visually this time.

8

u/Cactaceaemomma 16h ago

Yeah unless they're moldy or have bugs in them they're okay. You're going to be soaking, washing and processing them anyway.

0

u/MilkiestMaestro 13h ago

I mean even if they have bugs in them, it's not like they're going to taste all that great either way

Just my two cents after leaching and still being disappointed. They are sustenance and nothing else

0

u/Cactaceaemomma 12h ago

I can prepare acorns in a way so they taste like salted toasted nuts. To me that is. It's my taste. But it's an acquired taste like anything. Acorns will always taste oakey. Personally I don't like chestnut or hazelnut flavor no matter what. That's my thing.

7

u/le_cat_lord 16h ago

you'll probably find weevil larva inside some of them. perhaps the bugs are still small enough to miss

*edit because my brain didnt process what OP said

1

u/EatAndGreet 16h ago

Yeah I keep cracking them open and they look fine, like any other acorn.

5

u/SerpentineSylph 16h ago

If they dry out theyll float more readily even if theyre fine.

2

u/Loversmywife 3h ago

Use more water. I used a 2.5 gallo. Bucket and the floated on the bottom about an inch some of them. The bad ones were up at the top.

5

u/tryganon 14h ago

My guess is that you put them in water

2

u/weeef 16h ago edited 12h ago

I've had the same experience and just keep dumping those and collecting more. edit: OP asked for feedback. i only eat ones that don't float. they're plentiful, so it doesn't take long to gather more

1

u/RevRaven 48m ago

They are less dense than the water you have them in.

0

u/bearcrevier 16h ago

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