How to Roast Pine Nuts

You can fry pine nuts in the shell and without it, in a frying pan and in the microwave. These fruits are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals. The kernels are used in cooking, cosmetology and pharmacology.

Do pine nuts roast

Pine nuts are roasted to reveal their aroma and enhance their flavor. To extend the shelf life up to 1 year, fry the unpeeled kernels, washed from oil under running water. Fried hearts are used to decorate desserts and salads, or served as snacks for drinks.

How to Roast Pine Nuts

Before cooking, the fruits must be sorted out and inspected for mold and rot. Suitable seeds should have a healthy appearance and have a pleasant aroma. It is better to buy nuts unpeeled: this way they will retain more useful properties, will not lose their presentation and will be clean.

Next, the seeds are washed and cleaned of shells. To quickly clean the kernels, you can use the following methods:

1. Freezer use. To make the shell brittle, the nuts are poured into a bag and put in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours. After the time has elapsed, the package is removed and a rolling pin is passed over it. In this case, the pressing force should be small, in order to avoid damage to the fragile core.
2. Heating on a baking sheet or pan. Under the influence of high temperatures, the fruits become more pliable and can be split with a little effort. Seeds need to be poured into a pan and, stirring, warm for 10 – 20 minutes over low heat. In the process of heating, the shell should disperse itself. Unsplit seeds after cooling can be cleaned by pressing your fingers. The same effect can be achieved by placing the nuts on a baking sheet heated to 200 ^оC oven for 20 minutes.
3. Soaking in hot water. You can achieve softness and suppleness of the shell by soaking the fruit in hot water. Grains are poured with boiling water and left to swell for 30 minutes. After the time has passed, the water is drained, and the fruits are cleaned.
4. Using a hand tool, the shell can be cracked using a hammer, rolling pin, pliers, garlic press or a special tool for cracking nuts.

The prepared product is fried in a pan, in the oven or in the microwave. It is necessary to roast pine nuts correctly until a characteristic crackling and darkening of the crust appear.

How to roast pine nuts in a pan in a shell

To roast cedar seeds in the shell, you need:

1. Prepare the product for cooking.
2. Get a clean, dry skillet.
3. Pour the nuts in a thin layer into the pan, stirring with a wooden spatula, fry over low heat until a characteristic crunch appears and the kernels darken. If you need to fry a lot of nuts, then you should divide the whole mass into several portions.

How to roast pine nuts in a pan without shells

Peeled pine kernels can be fried in a pan without adding oil, as the fruits themselves are very oily.

1. Peel the seeds from the shell in a convenient way.
2. Take a clean, dry frying pan and put it on a slow fire to heat it up.
3. Sprinkle the nuts evenly into the heated skillet.
4. If desired, cedar kernels can be salted, sprinkled with sugar or spices.
5. Periodically stirring the product, monitor its color: as soon as it becomes appetizingly brown, the pan can be removed from the heat.

Oven roasted pine nuts

Pine nuts can be roasted in the oven, both in the shell and without it.

1 method – Frying in the shell:

• take nuts, wash, but do not dry;
• preheat the oven to 160 ⁰C;
• the baking sheet is covered with baking parchment and evenly spread the grains;
• put the baking sheet in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes;
• after the time has elapsed, take out the baking sheet and allow the nuts to cool;
• the cooled seeds are laid out on a waffle towel, covered with a second towel and walked over them with a rolling pin. With light pressure, the shell will crack and separate from the nucleoli.

2 method – Roasting refined beans:

• take the number of kernels necessary for frying, clean them of debris and shells, rinse thoroughly;
• preheat the oven to 150 ^оC;
• a baking sheet is covered with parchment for baking and nuts are poured on it with a thin layer;
• if desired, you can sprinkle the kernels with sugar, salt or spices;
• put the baking sheet in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes;
• after the time has elapsed, they take out a baking sheet and allow the fruits to cool.

During roasting, it is necessary to monitor the degree of readiness, otherwise the grains may simply burn out.

Microwave cooking

Unpeeled hazelnuts can be roasted in the microwave.

1. They take 60-70 g of grains cleaned of debris and washed, but not dried.
2. Pour the seeds into a small paper bag and wrap the edge.
3. Place the bag in the microwave and set the timer to fry for 1 minute.
4. At the end of the time, do not remove the bag and let the fruits fry from their own heat for another 2 minutes.
5. Next, they take out the bag and pour the nuts on a plate in an even layer.
6. After waiting 10 – 15 minutes, the seeds are cleaned.

Terms and conditions of storage

The shelf life of pine nuts is affected by:

• temperature regime;
• storage;
• humidity.

The peeled kernels should be consumed in a few weeks, and preferably days. The longer the nut is stored, the less useful properties remain in it. Roasted seeds can be stored for 3 to 6 months, depending on storage conditions. Seeds should be stored in a dark, cool place with a humidity of no more than 50%. To increase the shelf life, you need to use a freezer and a tightly closed bag or container. The nuts stored the longest are packaged during the cone ripening period – September – October.

Selection rules

In order not to harm your health when eating pine nuts, you need to choose them correctly. At the time of purchase, you should pay attention to:

• on the color of the kernel or shell: it must be the same – without spots, darkening or other colors;
• Fruit Moisture: The first sign of freshness is seed moisture. The drier the grains, the greater the likelihood of long-term storage;
• the size of the nuts should be the same for each fruit;
• the tip of the peeled kernel: if it is darkened, this is the second sign of long-term storage;
• shell tip: a dark dot on the tip is a sign of the presence of a kernel;
• aroma: must be natural, without impurities;
• the presence of extraneous plaque: gray-greenish plaque is a sign of mold;
• production date.

It is better to purchase unpeeled grains packed in cardboard bags.

You should refuse to buy if:

• oil came out on the surface of the nuts – this is a sign of depravity;
• nuts exude an unpleasant aroma;
• there are signs of bacteria on the fruits;
• debris is visible in the grains;
• clumped seeds are present.

Conclusion

If you are going to roast pine nuts, you should be careful when choosing them. Stale, long-lasting, with signs of disease, fruits can cause serious harm to health. After heat treatment, it is necessary to store the grains in a dark place – light adversely affects the product. Peeled kernels can become unpleasantly bitter when stored for a long time.