Beech mast

This topic is part of Group Name.

“Beech mast” is the term used to refer to the nuts of the beech tree. Beech trees are very common landscaping/ornamental trees, due to retaining their lower leaves in winter. This makes them very desirable hedges!

The mast has a spiky-looking husk that typically contains two shelled seeds. These seeds can be eaten but should be cooked first if eaten in large quantities. They're a lot of effort for not very much seed, so they're not an excellent staple for human consumption. However, they can be effective feed for fattening pigs.

Since beech mast isn't very high yield, the best way to gather it is to simply pick it up off the ground when it falls. At this point, if the husks are open, the seeds could be compromised (eaten by rodents, rotten, etc.), so double-check before collecting.

If the husk isn't open, take it home with you and put it somewhere dry and well-ventilated. As the husk dries, it will split open and you will be able to take the seeds out easily. You can use the husks for mulch.

If you're feeding the mast to pigs, you can give it to them now. If you want to eat them, they're better with a few extra steps. Note that a curator for the wild food topic, Otto, has eaten the seeds with the shell on – much like sunflower seeds, you can't digest the shell, which can cause digestion issues if you have too many. Also, the seeds contain tannins so they should be cooked.

What the shelled seeds look like.

Once removed from the husks, leave the seeds somewhere dry and well-ventilated for a few weeks, letting the shells harden. Once they harden, you can split them with your fingernail, teeth, or a tool. The seed will be inside.

You can toast them in a pan for a few minutes to remove the toxins.