Black walnuts often fall from trees in the fall. A walnut cannot simply be cracked. A process from removing the hull, or husk, to curing the nuts must initially take place. The walnut hulls should be removed as soon as possible after the walnut has fallen from a tree. The walnut has a variety of uses ranging from a simple snack to cooking ingredient. According to WildManSteveBrill.com, the black walnut has a rich, smoky flavor with a hint of wine.
Step 1
Place rubber gloves on your hands and wear old clothes prior to removing the walnut's hull. Choose the greener walnuts because walnuts with darker hulls may be infested with parasites. Stomp on the hull with your shoe or pound with a hard rock to open the hull. Remove the walnut.
Step 2
Put walnuts in a large basin and fill with water. Wash the walnuts several times to remove as much coloration from the hull. Remove all floating nuts, advises Iowa State University's Horticulture and Home Pest News. The floating nuts are unfilled and do not contain any meat.
Step 3
Dry walnuts outside on a dry bed sheet or old newspaper in the sun.
Step 4
Cure the nuts for about six weeks in shallow containers. Do not layer more than two to three layers deep. Deep containers promote mold growth and should be avoided. The meat of the nut will shrink while the walnut dries out, making cracking less difficult.
Step 5
Soak nuts in water one to two hours before cracking to soften the shell.
Step 6
Place the walnut into a heavy-duty nutcracker. A regular, household nutcracker will not work. Alternatively, use a hammer or large rock to break the shell. Carefully discard the shells and pick out the fruit's meat.
Tips and Warnings
- Look for nutcrackers that state they are specifically able to crack walnut shells. Ask family and friends to help shell black walnuts for additional hands as well as camaraderie. Share treats such as brownies or other fall goodies sprinkled with walnuts as an appreciation gift. The walnut hull's juices stain the skin for about six days.
- Wear protective eyewear when breaking walnut shells.
Things You'll Need
- Rubber gloves
- Old clothing and shoes
- Large rock
- Basin and water
- Old bed sheet or newspaper
- Shallow storage containers
- Heavy-duty nutcracker or hammer
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