Whether you want to eat plain or roasted pecans, or want to use them for your favorite pie, you obviously need to peel and clean them first. Here are some tips to get them out of their tough, woody shell.
Steps
Step 1. Collect the nuts or buy some that have not yet been shelled
Choose uniforms in size and shape and look heavy. Stuarts and moneymakers are the most popular varieties.
Step 2. Choose the method to break them
A hammer and a solid surface may be enough, but a specific tool will allow for a cleaner and more effective job.
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You can use normal pliers.
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A common nutcracker is fine too.
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A specific tool called Rocket (trade name, you can find it on Amazon), or another inertial nutcracker, are great for this job.
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Step 3. Break the shells while keeping the inner pulp intact
The best way to remove pecans from their shells is to split them in half, but you can also use the fruits that break apart in the process.
Step 4. Use your fingers or tweezers to remove the nut from the shell
Usually it is preferred to work from the rounded edge towards the more pointed one, since the latter is the point where the two half shells are joined. The nut is much more likely to break if you pry on this end.
Step 5. If you don't have any tools available, you can take two nuts and crush them together in your hand until they are cracked enough and you are able to remove the shell
Step 6. Use an awl, toothpick, or even a fragment of the shell itself to scrape off any residue left in the crevices of the pulp
This material is quite bitter so it is best to remove it.
Step 7. Place the walnuts in a colander or other perforated container to allow them to dry
In this way you will season the fruits which will gain in flavor.
Step 8. Store the walnuts in a sealed container
They can remain fresh for several days at room temperature in the kitchen if they are not exposed to humidity; you can store them in the refrigerator for weeks, while they will last about a year if you freeze them.
Advice
- Store shelled walnuts in a safe area. Squirrels and other rodents can plunder your supplies.
- When breaking pecans, beware of shell fragments that can splash everywhere; it is therefore desirable to do this work outdoors.
- Choose the nuts suitable for the use you want to make of them. Each type varies in oil content, yield, ease in removing the shell and flavor.
