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Walnuts: storage methods and methods
Walnuts are known not only for their excellent taste, but also for their exceptional nutritional and medicinal properties. They contain a unique set of vitamins and minerals, in addition, walnuts are a source of vegetable protein and valuable polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, due to their high fat content, nuts have a short shelf life. Proper storage will help preserve them until the next harvest.
Keeping nuts in the shell
In-shell nuts are stored longer than peeled ones – in suitable conditions they do not lose either their taste or healing qualities for up to a year. They must be sorted out, peeled from the remnants of the peel and poured into glass or metal dishes, tightly closed with a lid. Containers with nuts should be placed in a cool and dry place – so they can be stored for more than six months.If the entire stock of walnuts is planned to be used up within a short period of time (from 2 to 6 months), they can be stored in bags made of natural fabric or in wooden boxes. The ideal temperature for storing walnuts is from +10 to -5 degrees. It is advisable that containers or bags are not exposed to direct sunlight.
The easiest way to save green walnuts is to make jam, tincture or compote from them. Fresh green nuts are stored for a very short time. To cook the jam, you will need: – 1 kilogram of green walnuts; – 1,2 kilograms of sugar; – cinnamon and cloves to taste.
When processing green walnuts for jam, use rubber gloves: green peel contains a lot of iodine, which can stain your skin dark for a long time
Rinse the nuts thoroughly and boil them in a little water until they pierce easily through. Then fold them on a sieve, dry, prick each with a wooden toothpick and pour hot thick sugar syrup, in which cinnamon and cloves have been added in advance. Leave the nuts in the syrup to infuse for two days. After that, drain the syrup, boil it a little and fill it with the nuts again – the jam should be infused for another day. After this period, drain the syrup, boil, add nuts to it and cook for 15–20 minutes over low heat. Put the finished jam in sterilized jars.
How to store the cleaned kernels?
Peeled nuts are harder to keep. It is best to place them in the refrigerator or even in the freezer, folded in hermetically sealed containers, plastic bags or wrapped in cling foil. by calcining. Usually inshell nuts are roasted in the oven, peeled nuts can be heated in a pan. However, some of the beneficial properties during heat treatment will inevitably be lost.
When choosing walnuts, pay attention to the shell – it must be clean, without spots and cracks. Darker nuts may turn out to be from last year, darkened due to drying; they will, of course, be stored less. If you hear a knock on the inside of the shell when shaking, the nut is most likely too dry. If you buy already peeled walnut kernels, try to check their smell and taste – the appearance of a rancid odor indicates poor product quality. The taste should be characteristically sweet, the bitterness will be proof that the nuts have been stored for too long or at high temperatures and have already begun to deteriorate.
If it was not possible to protect the nuts from damage, mold has appeared, do not try to get rid of it by calcining or washing. Toxins formed in nuts cannot be removed by such methods.
Kernels should have a uniform color, high quality and fresh nuts are always elastic to the touch, and not dry and wrinkled. Correctly selected nuts do not deteriorate longer and retain all their useful properties.