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Pine nuts are a healthy, nutritious and tasty product that contains a large number of useful elements. The collection of nuts falls on the first autumn months. They go on sale in a purified form, in a shell and even in cones. In order to preserve useful properties for the whole winter, it is necessary to imagine how to store pine nuts.
Preparing pine nuts for storage
Pine nuts are the culinary name, and in nature they are the seeds of the pine pine. The kernels are located in a strong shell and hidden in a cone. Being under such protection, the nuts do not lose their aroma and useful properties for several months. The duration of storage of peeled pine seeds, subject to the temperature and humidity conditions, is no more than 2-3 months.
When purchasing taiga nuts, you need to imagine how to choose a product and prepare it for long-term storage.
When buying kernels in the shell, you need to check them by touch. They should be dense, slightly moist with a pleasant fresh aroma.
Unpeeled nuts are dried before storage. To do this, they need to be scattered on a baking sheet covered with paper in a thin layer and put in a dry place for several days. During the drying process, the nuts are periodically mixed.
When buying peeled nuts, preference should be given to light kernels without foreign smell. Bright yellow color indicates incorrect and long storage. Such pine nuts will be bitter and will not bring benefits to the body. If pine nuts are covered with a greenish coating, then this is the first sign of infection with pathogenic bacteria.
Shelled nuts can be stored in an airtight, light-tight container or in a sterilized glass jar.
How to properly store pine nuts
To extend the shelf life of pine seeds, you must follow simple rules:
- For storage, the temperature regime is maintained in the range from – 15 ° С to + 20 ° С, provided that there are no differences in values. The shelf life is reduced if the product is dried in the open sun.
- Air humidity should not exceed 70%, with high humidity, the kernels quickly become moldy.
- Processing is a properly selected and prepared product, a guarantee of long-term storage.
- Peeled pine nuts are best stored in vacuum packaging, in paper, linen bags or in airtight jars.
How to store cedar cones
The taste, aroma and preservation of useful properties depend on the storage rule. The technology for storing pine nuts is simple.
Storing pine cones is not the most popular method, as they take up a lot of space, and the seeds quickly lose their taste and useful properties. During storage, cedar cones quickly gain moisture from the air, begin to deteriorate and become moldy.
But if the task is to keep the taiga harvest in cones, then they are bought in canvas bags. They should not have mechanical damage and signs of rot. The integrity of the pine cone means the integrity of the seed. The best storage option is a dark, well-ventilated area. Before laying, the earth, needles, foliage are removed and laid out in several pieces in linen bags. In apartment conditions, cones can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than six months.
During storage, a periodic inspection is carried out for the presence of white plaque, the appearance of insects and an unpleasant odor. If one of the signs is present, the nuts are thrown away, because instead of being useful, they will harm the body.
How to store shelled pine nuts
Before being sent for storage, unpeeled cedar seeds are carefully sorted, eliminating damaged and in violation of the integrity of the shell.
The prepared product is transferred to a breathable bag, glass container, clothes bag and cleaned in a dark, dry, well-ventilated room. The shelf life of inshell pine nuts depends on the storage method and averages 2-3 months.
How to store pine nuts at home without shell
The peeled seeds retain their aroma and vitamins only when stored properly. Therefore, it is better to buy nuts in the shell and clean them yourself.
To quickly get rid of the shell, you can use trusted methods:
- Soak the seeds overnight in water. Under the influence of liquid, the shell softens.
- Pour boiling water over taiga nuts and leave for 10-15 minutes. After heat treatment, it will become easier to prick the shell.
- To facilitate the removal of the shell, the seeds can be calcined for a couple of minutes in the oven at a temperature of 120 ° C.
- You can also overcook the seeds in a hot frying pan for a few minutes and immediately immerse them in ice water. From the temperature difference, the shell cracks on its own.
The kernels peeled from the shell are stored only in hermetically sealed containers so that moisture does not get inside. The storage place must be dry and well ventilated. It could be a refrigerator or a freezer. With proper storage, kernels without shells will not lose their beneficial properties for 3 months.
Where to store shelled pine nuts
For long-term storage, a refrigerator, basement, cellar, freezer or balcony is suitable. The room should be dry and dark. When stored in a basement or cellar, pine nuts must be protected from rodents. To do this, they are placed in an airtight container or cleaned in a place inaccessible to rodents.
Freezer – the seeds are placed in plastic or plastic bags and cleaned in the freezer. The kernels retain their taste and aroma throughout the year. The product is not subject to repeated freezing, therefore it is better to pack them in portions. This method is suitable for storing pine nuts in the shell.
The refrigerator is the ideal way to store shelled seeds. The kernels are placed in a sealed plastic container, in a ceramic dish or a glass jar. The selected container should be tightly closed so that the nuts do not gain excess moisture and quickly rot. With this method, the seeds will retain their freshness and useful qualities for 100 days.
Cellar, pantry, basement – in these places, nuts are stored in wooden, cardboard boxes or in glass jars. The main condition for storage is a dark, dry, well-ventilated area. With the right content, cedar seeds can lie for up to 6 months.
How long do pine nuts keep
Due to the mineral composition, taiga seeds have a short shelf life. If the temperature-humid regime is not observed, fats change their qualities and give the product a peculiar bitterness. Signs of a spoiled product are the presence of mold, a specific smell, a change in the color of the kernel and dark spots on the grains.
Fried kernels do not have an expiration date, as during heat treatment they release oils, which, during long-term storage, give the product a bitter taste. Even if the fried taiga seeds are stored according to all the rules, after a few days they will acquire an unpleasant odor, become bitter and unsuitable for consumption.
Even if after six months the taiga nuts have not lost their appearance and have not acquired a foreign smell, they should not be eaten. Since after three months they begin to lose their useful qualities, and the taste becomes less saturated. Also, after 6 months, bacteria are born in the nuclei that are not visible to the human eye. When using such a product, you can harm your body.
To increase the shelf life and preserve freshness and aroma for a long time, you must follow simple rules:
- It is impossible to purchase peeled kernels by weight, since with prolonged interaction with air, useful properties are lost.
- When buying, you need to look at the quality, if the nuts are dry, then the expiration date is overdue.
- Fried kernels are best consumed immediately.
- Use an electric dryer for drying.
- Acquire the amount that can be consumed in a short period of time.
- Since the collection of taiga nuts is carried out in September-October, you can not buy them at the beginning or at the end of summer.
Conclusion
To preserve vitamins and trace elements, you need to know how to store pine nuts. Subject to the rules, you can diversify the daily menu, keep the body in good shape and enrich it with useful substances.
