You can enjoy walnuts either by adding them to various cakes or on their own. However, walnuts themselves have many layers including the outer shell and hard shell.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Peeling the Outer Skin
If you harvest walnuts straight from the tree, you'll need to peel the outer skin off first. Choose ripe walnuts whose skin is yellowish green. Walnuts with black skins taste not the same as those with yellowish green skins.
Step 1. Place the nuts on the asphalt
The walnut shells will release a sap that can contaminate the asphalt surface.
Step 2. Step on the nuts and roll them while continuing to press them on the asphalt surface
Step 3. Take the nuts and place them in a large bucket
Step 4. Dispose of the outer shell in the trash or compost bin
Step 5. Place the walnuts on a table or other flat surface
Make sure you wear rubber gloves to protect the skin from the sap on the shell, also because this process can get your hands dirty.
Step 6. Scrub the outside of the shell with a wire scrubber to remove any remaining shell
Step 7. Place the cleaned beans on a flat surface in a well-ventilated, dark and cool place
Make sure the nuts don't overlap and are well spaced from one another.
Step 8. Dry the walnuts for 5 to 6 weeks
Walnut meat harvested directly from the tree is still tough. Drying it makes the meat tough and crunchy.
Method 2 of 2: Peeling the Shell
Walnut shells are very difficult to crack. You can peel them with a nutcracker or hammer. Soaking it first will prevent the pulp from crumbling during the peeling process.
Step 1. Soak the drained walnuts in hot water for 24 hours
This process will soften the shell so it is easy to crack.
Step 2. Remove from water
Place the nuts on a flat surface with the pointed end facing up.
Step 3. Hit the pointed end with a hammer until the shell breaks on its axis
Step 4. Remove the shell by hand
Step 5. Insert the pointed part of the bean extracting tool under the bean meat
Move the tool along the edges of the bean's flesh to release it from the shell.
Step 6. Store the peanuts in a separate container
Repeat the process until all the nuts have been peeled.
Tips
- Walnut meat stored in the refrigerator can last up to 9 months, while those stored in the freezer can last up to two years. To store them, place the walnuts in a plastic clip.
- Before storing the peanuts at room temperature, roast them at 101 degrees Celsius for 10 to 15 minutes. These walnuts are only suitable for consumption for a few weeks.