Beech Mast Oil
Beech Mast Oil is a traditional British recipe for a method of extracting cooking or dressing oil form beech masts, the fruit of the beech tree. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Beech Mast Oil
prep time
10 minutes
cook time
180 minutes
Total Time:
190 minutes
Makes:
1 bottle
Rating: 
Tags : Wild FoodBritish Recipes
Though beech masts (the fruit of the beech tree) are edible, they are very small and fiddly to prepare. It is much easier to extract a cooking oil from them. Indeed, this is quite an efficient process and 1.5kg of beech masts will yield 250ml of oil. For this recipe you need young masts, before they have had a chance to dry out. Pick as soon as they begin falling from the trees. Each beech tree only fruits in abundance every three or four years, but the cycles are staggered so you are bound to be able to find enough masts each year.
Method:
Clean the masts of any dirt and husks then place the whole mast (including the shells) in a small oil mil (alternatively grind very finely in a coffee grinder). Pack the ground masts into a fine muslin bag then place in an oil press and extract the oil.
If you do not have an oil press you can squeeze the ground masts under heavy weights (I place on a metal tray, put a piece of foil covered wood on top and press down with G-clamps. The oil is squeezed out onto the tray and can be poured into bottles.
If sealed securely the oil can be stored for a long time (at least as long as any vegetable oil) and can be used or frying in place of any other cooking oil.