How to Prepare Hickory Nuts

Hickory nuts are a member of the walnut or juglandaceae family and if prepared properly can be just as delicious as walnuts or pecans. Cracking the nuts to get to the meat is the hardest part of preparing hickory nuts. In most cases, doing so will require a hammer and a hard surface, as a normal nutcracker will not suffice. Hickory nuts should be cracked and used as needed, since the nutmeat can go rancid after being removed from the shell unless frozen.

Things You'll Need

• Hammer Hard work surface Cookie sheets Skillet Wooden spoon Grain mill

Instructions

1. Place the hickory nuts one at a time on a hard surface and pound with a hammer until the shell breaks. Remove the nutmeats from the shell.

2. Roast hickory nuts on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Turn the nuts several times during the roasting process for even browning.

3. Use a skillet to roast hickory nuts by placing a single layer in a heavy skillet over high heat. Use a wooden spoon to turn the nuts constantly until evenly brown.

4. Grind roasted hickory nuts to a fine powder in a grain mill and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of hickory nut flour to any bread recipe for a nuttier taste.

5. Substitute roasted hickory nuts for nuts in any nut bread recipe such as banana nut bread.

6. Use roasted hickory nuts in place of pecans in your favorite pecan pie recipe or add the nuts to any pie or cake recipe calling for nuts.

Tips & Warnings

• Hickory nuts are harvested in the fall as soon as they begin falling from the trees. Discard any hickory nuts that have small holes in the nut shell, as these are probably insect infested. Use a water bath method to determine if the hickory nut has nut meat inside. Place the nuts in sufficient water to cover and toss away any nuts that float. Floating nuts do not have enough meat inside to make the work of cracking them open worth the trouble.

References

• Wild Foods from Arkansas Trees and other Plants
• Nuts: Harvesting and Storing
• Nuts -- After the Harvest