{"id":12260,"date":"2022-11-09T04:42:01","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T09:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=12260"},"modified":"2022-11-12T11:46:14","modified_gmt":"2022-11-12T16:46:14","slug":"how-to-crack-open-a-black-walnut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/how-to-crack-open-a-black-walnut\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Crack Open A Black Walnut?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever tried to shell a walnut, you know that it\u2019s no easy task. Black walnuts<\/a> are especially difficult. So, what\u2019s the trick to it? In this article, we\u2019ll talk about how to crack open a black walnut, as well as how to prepare your walnuts for shelling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelling Black Walnuts: Step-by-Step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Shelling<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that shelling walnuts is just one part of a larger process? Before we talk more specifically about extracting the nutmeats from the shells, let\u2019s take a closer look at the overall process of collecting, de-husking, shelling, and using your walnuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collect the Walnuts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chances are you won\u2019t find whole black walnuts in the store. English walnuts are a much more popular commercial choice because they are much easier to open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you specifically want black walnuts, you\u2019re going to have to collect them yourself. Maybe you have a black walnut tree in your yard or neighborhood and you don\u2019t want all those fruits lying around on the ground to go to waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll want to wear gloves while collecting the walnuts. The outer green husk can stain your hands<\/a> yellow or black.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can gather the walnuts from the ground, or you can harvest them from the tree\u2013whichever seems easier and more likely to result in a good crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re gathering walnuts from the tree, most of the nuts should still be good, but some of them may not be mature yet. Do not begin harvesting until the tree has begun dropping the nuts\u2013usually late summer through late fall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re gathering walnuts from the ground, pick up each walnut and inspect it. If the green husk is still fairly intact and you can press your finger into it to make a dent, then the walnut inside is probably good.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discard any walnuts that already have the husk broken off of them. Even if the husk is still in place, if it has turned black, the nut inside may be in the process of rotting or shriveling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remove the Outer Husks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve collected your nuts, you\u2019ll want to get rid of the green outer husk. There are several ways to do this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n