How to store nuts?

Do you love nuts so much that you always want to have them at home all year round, but you don’t know how to store them properly?

Nuts are generally referred to as “dried fruits”. In reality, what we eat is an oleaginous nut and, in particular, the kernel of the common walnut Jungles Regia, a very hardy tree widespread in temperate zones around the world. From its branches are picked the drupes, “spheres” of green color, inside which there is a woody shell. Only after breaking it can you “access” the nuts.
They can be eaten as a snack or used in many savory and sweet recipes. Nuts are indeed a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen: they can enhance our dishes, from appetizer to dessert! Rich in nutritional properties, these dried fruits are extraordinary.

With the arrival of autumn, walnuts are back on the shelves, on our tables and in our recipes. If you want to enjoy them all year round, there are several ways to preserve them while protecting their flavor and health benefits. Fresh, shelled or not, here are all the ways to best preserve your nuts.

Read also: 10 shelf-stable foods to have at home

Storing fresh shelled walnuts

For starters, whatever nut storage method you choose, always start by sorting your dried fruit. It is important to keep only the nuts intact and not damaged by insects and parasites: eliminate the others since they could “contaminate” the rest of the nuts.

Once shelled, the walnut kernels can be stored in a closed glass jar with an airtight cap. We advise you to add bay leaves to the jar, an excellent natural repellent against mold and insects, which helps to preserve them better. Put it in a dry and cool place in the house, in the pantry and always away from sources of heat and light. You can keep them like this for two weeks. If you put the jar in the fridge, you can keep them for up to three months. To keep them for up to a year, you can freeze them, putting them in a freezer bag to place in the freezer. This way you can thaw the amount of nuts you need whenever you want.

If you prefer, you can also save the kernels of fresh shelled walnuts after you have chopped them, so that they are already ready to use in the kitchen. Little tip: if you don’t have a blender (or if you prefer not to use it for a handful of nuts), just place the dried fruit in a plastic bag, put it on the table and flatten with a rolling pin until desired consistency is reached.

Another method of preserving fresh shelled nuts is to make a nut butter. Click here to find out how to make it at home, it will be perfect to enrich many sweet and savory recipes with its unique and rich taste.

Storage of fresh unshelled walnuts

If you prefer to store fresh unshelled walnuts, place them whole in a wicker basket, cover them with a clean cotton cloth and place them in the sun for three days. Take care to stir them from time to time and not leave them outside overnight, so they don’t absorb too much moisture. Once dried, you can store your nuts for six months. Put them in a hermetically sealed glass container, with a few bay leaves, to place in a cool, dry place in the house, away from light. Alternatively, you can put them in a cotton bag, always with some bay leaves, to place in a dry and cool place in the house, away from light.

Fresh unshelled walnuts can also be frozen. Place them in an airtight container or in a vacuum bag and put them in the freezer: this way you can keep them for up to a year, thawing them as you need them, in small quantities .

Storage of walnuts

The Grenoble walnut is a variety of walnut protected by the AOP appellation in France. These nuts, of excellent quality, are fruits from a growing area located in the vicinity of the city of Grenoble, hence their name. These nuts can be preserved in the same way as the others, following the methods explained above.

The health benefits of nuts

Walnuts are a fruit rich in beneficial properties: they contain mineral salts (magnesium, potassium calcium) and vitamins (especially vitamin E). They are a source of omega 3 fatty acids, substances that help control cholesterol and promote the proper functioning of our body. Walnuts also contain melatonin and are an excellent source of antioxidants, substances useful against the cellular aging process.

Be aware, however, that nuts are a high-calorie food. 100 grams of product contains approximately 650-660 calories. It is therefore important to consume them in moderation.

Storing pecans

Do you know pecan nuts? With a slightly sweeter flavor than nuts, these dried fruits can be used in the realization of many sweet and savory recipes. Like walnuts, they can also be stored shelled or not, to enjoy their flavor and nutritional properties all year round.
Peeled, place them in a glass jar, which you will put in the refrigerator: being very rich in fat, they must be kept cool, to avoid their deterioration. You can enjoy it for 2-3 months. You can also freeze them, by putting them in a food bag that you will place in the freezer. They will then keep for up to a year.

Read also: How to store figs? Discover our tips and advice.