Walnuts

[Tuesdayschild]

I think this is the best place to post this... new housem huge walnut tree, 1000s of nuts

Please correct:

1. wait for them to fall off the tree
2. collects and put somewhere (dark? light? warm? cool?) till black
3. peal, crack and eat :)

[BriansLovie]

Awesome! I'm wondering the same thing with our pecan tree!!

[Hermana Linda]

No idea. Has anyone had a chance to google it? :shifty

[Iarwain]

Not exactly. Assuming these are the much more common black walnut trees instead of English walnuts. With black walnuts it is believed that leaving the hull on longer makes them more bitter. Collect and hull as soon as you can and then let them sit in a place that they can get air for a few weeks to cure. Hulling walnuts WILL stain your hands and it can take a week or so to wear off. The easiest way I've found to loosen the hulls is to stand them on end and whack the upper end with a rock to make the hull crack. The greener and plumper the hull the easier it comes off.

When it comes time to crack them you will probably need to use a hammer and you'll need a nut pick to get all the meat out of the shell. Black walnuts have very strong shells!

I have several black walnut trees in my yard and have yet to actually use many of the nuts because it is a lot of work.

I have a pecan tree too. Pecan hulls come off MUCH easier. Just pop the hull off (the sooner the easier) and store in a cool dry place until ready to shell and eat.

[Hermana Linda]

I'm so glad someone has experience with this. :heart

[Tuesdayschild]

thanks Iarwain :heart

how can I tell what kind of walnuts they are? being in Europe they could be the English kind...

[Iarwain]

English walnuts have larger nutmeats, a thinner shell, and are milder in flavor. They are the kind of walnuts that are sold commercially.

Ooh I found pictures of the leaves to help you tell the difference:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/walnute5.htm

This page links to pictures of leaves and nuts of both kinds so you can compare them.

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/senior/fruits/fruits.htm

[Tuesdayschild]

Thank you so much for that! I'm stoked - I think we must have an English walnut tree!!! Yum yum

[Iarwain]

:rockon