Preserving pecans

[catskinner]

Last Saturday we went went to a pecan orchard and picked up so many pecans that I don't know what to do with them. We have started to crack and shell them. I'm sure it's gonna take a few days to get all of them shelled.

Dh just asked me if we have to freeze them. I'm using the Food Saver and dividing them into 1 cup portions. We are running out of freezer space, so if we can just use the Food Saver and store them on the shelf, it would be great.

I told Dh that somebody here would know. We don't want to loose any because they cost about $6 a pound around here. So, what's the best way to store them?

catskinner

[Leah]

http://www.georgiapecansfit.org/pr-2004-5Winter.htm

Keeping Pecans Fresh

 

* Historically, Georgia leads the nation in pecan production, with the harvest at its peak during November and pecans at the peak of freshness. According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, proper storage allows pecan lovers to enjoy them any season of the year, The commission recommends preserving the flavor of pecans by refrigerating in airtight containers for up to nine months or freezing in zip-lock freezer bags for up to two years.

* For more information and recipes featuring pecans, visit the Georgia Pecan Commission Web site at www.georgiapecans.org.

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In the shell, I just put them in an airtight can on the self.

[Canned Nerd]

Vacuum sealing might extend that storage period substantially.

 

[LeeAnn]

 

You've reminded me that I need to stock up on nuts. I store nearly everything with the foodsaver.

[Mimi54]

I freeze my shelled pecan in quart bags.The pecan pie I made for Thanksgiving dinner yesturday was from pecans stored freezer 3 years ago.Tasted very good.As for unshelled,I have some right now that was picked up from the ground last year,still in bags.Need to get off my duff and crack them,shell,but ugh that's a chore I just haven't got around to just yet. Having grown up with pecan orchards,storage unshelled was usually in burlap,or loose weaved cloth of some sort.They will start to lose some of their flavor though,and some of the meat may actually wither dry.Those shelled went in freezer. I've not used foodsaver yet on pecans for I just bought my foodsaver.I'm interested in others results of pecans stored this way.Anyway,wish you luck in storing the pecans,for they are truly expensive and I know you are so happy to have them.Mimi

[Canned Nerd]

Have you tried this method for shelling pecans?

 

Place nuts in a damp place overnight to prevent brittleness of the kernels during cracking. Some home food preservers recommend soaking pecans in boiling hot water for 10 minutes or microwaving 2 cups of pecans in 1 cup of water for 5 to 6 minutes on high. Shell nuts, keeping kernels as nearly whole as possible, using a nutcracker or simply a hammer. Spread pecans in a thin layer to dry for 24 hours.

 

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/nchf...vingpecans.html

[Violet]

You are able to can them in jars:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_nuts/nut_meats.html

[Crazy4Canning]

In "Little Heathens", the author tossed her unhusked walnuts in a garbage bag in a single later over the drive way and backed over them a few times - end of problem.

 

I've canned nuts in jars - what a neat-o thing to do. I was so thrilled they weren't taking up freezer space, I did a happy dance.

[mommato3boys]

Originally Posted By: Crazy4Canning

In "Little Heathens", the author tossed her unhusked walnuts in a garbage bag in a single later over the drive way and backed over them a few times - end of problem.

I've canned nuts in jars - what a neat-o thing to do. I was so thrilled they weren't taking up freezer space, I did a happy dance.

I did that with some black walnuts but my bil goats got out and ate them all so I didn't have any black walnuts

[catskinner]

Thanks ya'll! I'm just gonna suck the air out of them and store them in the frige until I an arrange things a little better in the freezer.

 

Canned Nerd, These pecans are still pretty green. We're just gonna keep cracking away at them. I never thought about boiling them to keep them moist. Good idea.

 

Violet, I don't have near enough jars for all of them and all of my jar sources are gone for the season.

 

C4C, funny you should mention black walnuts...I also picked up two 5 gallon buckets of them for my father. He just loves them. I like them, but am just too lazy to deal with them. He's going to put them in the driveway so they can drive over them until they start to crack. They don't have any goats, so maybe they will get to eat a few. My dad wants to make ice cream with them and my mom wants them for divinity candy.

 

Thanks again for all the wonderful suggestions. I just don't know what I'd do without Mrs. S.

catskinner

[midwest prepper]

We got the husks off our black walnuts by running over them in the driveway,it worked! They have been spread out to dry--now how long do we wait to crack them?

[Juli]

chickens will get the hulls off. We do walnuts every year.

 

you can dump them in the checken pen and the hens will get all the hulls off then you can pick them up and wash them in buckets. Then set out to dry for a week or so.

 

I always save some hulls for medicinal reasons.

 

Then when I get the meats out I let those air dry for about 24 hours. They lose oil but that's what goes rancid. Then I freeze the rest.

 

Or, you can roast them or dry them further. The dryer they are the longer they keep in an airtight container out of the fridge.

 

I've been looking for other ways to save them as well but so far I haven't found any.

[MommaDogs]

I foodsaver my raw almonds and put them in my "root cellar" (just a cool part of my cellar) The plastic protects them from wet and the cool keeps them fresher. Almonds don't last long around here anyway...

[Crazy4Canning]

Originally Posted By: midwest prepper

We got the husks off our black walnuts by running over them in the driveway,it worked! They have been spread out to dry--now how long do we wait to crack them?

When they are completely dry. You should notice a difference in the sound and weight and color. The sound is a higher pitch with a dry nut - the 'wet' or freshly hulled nuts are lower due to the water content. They also weigh less since the water has evaporated. Also, some shells do turn a lighter brown from drying.

My MIL dries her walnuts next to the wood stove for a few weeks on a little rack, moving them every day.

Hope this helps.