Wild Beechnut Oil

Beech nut oil is a rarity among edible oils. At the Ölmühle Solling it is pressed from local, hand-picked nuts from the wild. Before pressing, the beechnuts are gently roasted for a few minutes, giving the oil an intense, nutty flavour.

The fruit of the copper beech

Beechnuts are the fruit of the copper beech. They are triangular and about 1.5 centimetres in size. The tasty beechnuts are surrounded by a firm, shiny brown shell. Beechnuts have a fat content of up to 40 per cent. They are rich in minerals, zinc and iron. Today, beechnuts are little known as an energy-rich food for humans. During the Second World War they were important for self-sufficiency due to food shortages.

As our beechnut oil is made from wild harvested beechnuts, organic certification of the oil is not possible. Of course, the collected beechnuts are 100% natural.

Today, beechnut oil from local forests is considered a real delicacy and is highly prized by gourmets and chefs as an ingredient in salads, mushroom and game dishes. The fine oil also adds a special touch to pasta and potato dishes and enhances winter desserts.

Useing beechnut oil

In fact, the small brown beechnuts can be used in the kitchen as they are. Ground into flour, they make a delicious baking ingredient for sweet and savoury dishes. Eaten whole, beechnuts are delicious in salads, cereals and as a topping for potato dishes.

Incidentally, beech trees only produce oil-bearing beechnuts every three to seven years. If the summer is too dry, the square shells are usually empty and contain no nuts. By producing beechnut oil, we are helping to preserve the copper beech in German forests.

Beechnut oil is a delicacy and not only enhances salads, mushroom and game dishes, but is also a popular culinary addition to pasta and potato dishes. It also goes well with winter desserts.

Botanical name: Fagus silvatica L.

Origin
The triangular fruits of the copper beech are collected and hand-picked for beechnut oil. They are not organically grown, but come from the mixed forests of the Solling and Rhön regions. To make one litre of cold-pressed beechnut oil, we need about 10 kg of fresh, germinable beechnuts. This takes an inexperienced gatherer at least a whole day. After cleaning and drying, there are usually only 8 kg left. During the hand picking process, we take special care to ensure that no moulded beechnuts are included in the pressed material. The cold-pressed beechnut oil is then tested for aflatoxin levels. So far there has been no cause for complaint about the beechnut oil. Because of this, beechnut oil is not as cheap as other organic cold-pressed oils.