The acorn, the fruit of the white oak tree, was a staple of the American Indian for centuries. Both are edible, but the white oak is so far superior that once you ve tasted it, you probably won t want the red oak again. The white oak acorn has thick scales on the crown, a smooth shell and white meat. Red oak acorns have a yellow meat and a downy lining. Additionally, the White Oak tree bears leaves with rounded or no lobes, usually between 5 and 9 in number.
All acorns contain tannin - a substance once used to tan hides.
You must leach this prior to eating. One of the reasons for the white oak s popularity is that it contains far less tannin than the red oak. Leaching the white oak takes about an hour, the red oak may require all day. To leach the acorn, first remove the meat from the shell. You may boil the acorn for 10 to 15 minutes to soften the shell, if needed.