How to Leach Buckeyes

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Things You'll Need

  • Pot

  • Knife

  • Ladle

  • Bowl

  • Nail

  • Tin coffee can

  • Hammer

The buckeye nut contains tannic acids that need to be leached.

The buckeye tree is the state tree of Ohio, and its nuts have been used by Native Americans as food, as well as a primary source of tannic acid used in traditional leather-working. In order to be edible Buckeye nuts need to be leached first. Leaching involves boiling, peeling and soaking the nuts to remove tannins while preserving the nutritional content of the meat.

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Step 1

Hammer 30 holes scattered over the bottom half of the coffee can using the nail.

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Step 2

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the buckeye nuts into the water and set a timer for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Scoop the nuts out after the timer sounds. Place the boiled nuts into the bowl. Allow the nuts to cool for 10 minutes. Pull the cap off of each nut, and cut the now-softened nut in half with the knife. Remove the meat from inside the nut by pulling it off the shell. Discard the shells.

Step 4

Place the meat into the coffee can, and place the can in the sink directly under the tap. Run the tap into the coffee can, and adjust the flow to ensure the meat stays covered with water without the can overflowing. Leave the tap running overnight. The nuts will be leached of tannic acid after 10 hours in the presence of flowing water.

Warning

Make sure your sink drain is not covered by the coffee can.

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