How to wash shelled walnuts

Any nuts from the place of collection to the counter of the store and the end consumer go a long way. Hygiene standards during their cleaning, storage and transportation, most often, are not observed. Therefore, experts recommend that you always wash peeled walnuts before eating.

Do I need to wash walnuts

Peeled walnuts are not fundamentally different from almonds, cashews or hazelnuts. And wash them before eating should be mandatory. This also applies to the product sold in the shell. The need to wash the cleaned kernels is due to the following points:

1. When selling, the product is constantly outdoors and remains unprotected from airborne dust and dirt particles.
2. From people present in the immediate vicinity, not only bacteria or viruses, but also parasite eggs can get on peeled nuts.
3. To ensure a long shelf life, walnut fruits can be treated with special chemical compounds that prevent food moths and other pests from eating the product.

How to wash shelled walnuts

Usually nuts in the shell are not treated with chemicals. Therefore, everything is simple with them: just rinse them in running water, thus getting rid of dirt and dust, which will settle on the cores during the splitting process.

Therefore, washing walnut kernels, if the product was sold peeled, should be done more carefully:

• poured into a colander;
• rinse thoroughly under running cold water;
• additionally rinsing with bottled or cooled boiled water.

The described method is relevant for shelled walnuts purchased from a trustworthy seller. If the purchase was made on the market, it is worth scalding the fruits with boiling water – this will kill most of the microbes.

It is important not only to properly wash walnuts before use, but also to remove them from the water correctly. So, if the water is drained only by holding the kernels with your hands, the particles of dirt that have settled on the bottom of the dish will most likely stick to the clean product again. To prevent this, you should use a slotted spoon.

Which is better: wash or soak

There is a point of view that it is not enough just to wash peeled walnuts – they should be soaked.

There is no particular difficulty in the procedure. Unroasted peeled kernels are placed in a container, poured with drinking water and left in this form for several hours (it is possible all night). You can store the product for up to three days in a refrigerator. After the specified period, they begin to deteriorate, and their taste characteristics deteriorate.

Hot water is best for soaking. But when using baking soda, cold is also suitable. An alkaline environment will no less effectively kill all viruses, bacteria and eggs that parasites have managed to lay.

The soaking process is often used by raw foodists. It is generally accepted that placing a raw product in water for a while helps to revive it. The taste of peeled walnut becomes sweeter and more tender after soaking. If earlier there was some bitterness in it, it disappears. The nut stops crunching, but many even like it.

How to properly dry nuts after washing

Having figured out how to wash peeled walnuts, you should also learn how to dry them. There are several ways.

Natural drying

Natural drying does not involve heat treatment. The washed product is laid out on a cloth or sheet of paper in a well-ventilated area for 2-3 days. The fruits should be periodically mixed so that the drying occurs evenly.

In electric dryer

When drying with a specialized household appliance – an electric dryer – it is important to set the correct temperature, which is intended for heat treatment of fruits and nuts. The procedure will take about 5-6 hours.

In the oven

When drying washed, peeled nuts in the oven, it is necessary to set the temperature in the range from 70 to 90 degrees. A higher value is not allowed. Before placing the nuts in the oven, they must be laid out on a baking sheet (preferably in one layer). The drying process will take 2 to 3 hours. After the indicated time has elapsed, the fruits must be removed, laid out on a flat surface and allowed to cool.

In the microwave

Drying washed, peeled nuts in the microwave is not the most common method, but it is sometimes used. To dry the fruits, it will take literally 1 – 2 minutes. In this case, it is important to correctly set the time mode: if you make a mistake, the walnuts will burn.

Alternative to washing: roasting nuts

Not everyone dares to wash the fruits before eating, fearing about their taste. In such cases, it is worth considering another way to make the product not only safe to eat, but also more palatable. It’s about pan frying.

To get tasty and safe nuts by roasting, you will need to follow these steps:

1. Heat a shallow frying pan over medium heat.
2. Place the kernels in it in one layer, previously cut in half or into 4 parts. Oil and fat do not need to be used: the fruits themselves are quite fatty.
3. Keep on fire, stirring constantly, until a blush forms. On average, the process takes no more than 5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Let the nuts cool.
6. Serve on the table.

Practice shows that roasted walnuts have a brighter and richer taste.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that walnuts are considered a healthy product, their consumption must be approached with caution: not washing the shelled walnuts before eating is a serious mistake, which can be paid off with an upset stomach. Washing fruits before eating is no less important than washing your hands.