Pecans should be peeled and cleaned before use, whether you plan to eat them raw or roast them, or use them as an ingredient in your favorite pie recipe. Begin with step 1 below for detailed instructions on how to peel the tough pecans.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing Pecans
Step 1. Buy some skinned pecans
Choose varieties that are uniform in size and shape, and feel heavy to the touch. Stuart or Moneymaker are two common and popular varieties of pecans.
Step 2. Sort the pecans
Sort the nuts and remove some that are cracked or hollow, that feel lighter than others, or that wobble when you shake them. The quality of these nuts may have gone bad.
Step 3. Consider boiling the pecans
Some pecan lovers claim that boiling the nuts before breaking them helps to remove the shells more easily.
- Take a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Gently dip the pecans into the water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Dry the nuts and let them cool before breaking the shells.
- Alternatively, you can put one cup of water and two cups of pecans in a microwave bowl and cook on high for 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 4. Prepare the work area
Peeling pecans can be a messy job, as skin fragments can fly in all directions during the process. So, you should prepare your work area outdoors to reduce cleaning.
Part 2 of 3: Cracking and Peeling Pecans
Step 1. Use a nutcracker
All-purpose tongs can be used to crack the pecan shells.
- Place the nut in the center of the tongs and pinch gently until you hear a cracking sound. Do not pinch too tightly, or you will crush the inside of the nut.
- Twist the nut in the center of the tongs and pinch back. Continue twisting and pinching along the length of the nut until the skin begins to come off and can be moved.
Step 2. Use a side cutter and pliers
This is another quick and easy way to peel pecans.
- Take a side cutter and use it to cut the 2 pointed ends of the nut shells into the bowl underneath.
- Then take pliers (any type), place the nut between the tongs, and gently crack the center of the shell, then twist the nut until the shell can come off.
Step 3. Use a special pecan nutcracker
If you need to crack a large number of pecans, this tool can be useful for saving you time when cracking the shells.
- This tool helps you crack the pecan shells quickly and efficiently, without breaking or crushing the inside of the nuts.
- While many households operate a nutcracker by hand, you can also purchase a machine-driven nutcracker (from a brand like Kinetic Cracker) to crack the shells more quickly.
Step 4. Squeeze the two nuts together
If you don't have any tools, you can use the squeezing technique to crack the pecan shells.
To do this, take two nuts and place them in one hand. Close your fists, squeeze the nuts together until one of the shells breaks and can be removed
Step 5. Use a hammer
One of the simplest ways is to crack a pecan shell with just a hammer and a hard surface.
- Place the nuts on a hard, firm surface and beat them with a hammer. You may need to turn the nut to hit it in the second half. Be careful with your fingers!
- While this is a quick method, it tends to break down the inside of the nuts too, leaving small shards of pecans. If you want the inside of the nuts to remain intact, then you will need to use another method.
Step 6. Remove the inside of the nut from the skin
After you've cracked the shells using one of the methods you've chosen, you need to be careful when removing the inside of the nut from the shell, keeping the inside of the nut intact.
- Use your fingers or small pliers to peel the skin from the inside of the nuts. Then use a toothpick to pry off the remaining half of the pecan flakes from the skin.
- Pecans are usually removed from the skin split in half, but it doesn't matter if the nuts are crushed because the inside of any shape of the nut can still be used.
Part 3 of 3: Cleaning and Storing Pecans
Step 1. Clean the remaining skin parts
Use a toothpick, or even a small piece of nut shell to scrape off the skin and any remaining layer from the inside of the nut. Although the skin and coating left on the nuts are only a little, they can leave a bitter taste in the mouth of people who eat them.
Step 2. Leave the pecans in a perforated container or strainer for 24 hours
This will make the nuts dry and flavorful, giving them a better taste when eaten.
Step 3. Store the pecans in a closed container
Place the seasoned pecans in a closed container and store in a cool, dry place. Nuts can last up to a week if placed on the counter, up to several weeks if placed in the refrigerator, and up to a year if placed in the freezer.
Tips
- Store peeled pecans in a protected area, as squirrels and mice can steal your supplies if the opportunity arises.
- Choose nuts that suit your intended use. Varieties can vary in terms of oil content, yield, ease of peeling, and taste.
