Walnut (scientific name Júglans régia) has other names – royal and Greek. In nature, it grows in Transcaucasia, in China, in India, in the Tien-Shan mountains, in Asia Minor. In Europe, it is common in the Balkans, Greece and Ukraine. It has many varieties, is a valuable source of unsaturated fats, vitamins, trace elements, amino acids and protein. At first glance, the storage of such a product should not cause questions, but in fact, under the wrong conditions, it deteriorates quite quickly, and also becomes food for moths. In this article, we will tell you how to store walnuts.
How much to store:
- Unripe walnuts in the shell can be stored at room temperature for no longer than 7-10 days.
- Dried whole walnuts can be stored in a dry, cool place for up to 6 months.
- Peeled walnuts can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months.
How to prepare for storage
Walnut kernels retain their beneficial properties for a long time. They become most useful at the beginning of autumn, when they reach milk maturity, but do not yet contain 70% of fat.
Harvesting is carried out in dry weather, manually removing green fruits that have begun to crack slightly from the tree. Ripe fruits are harvested in autumn, when they begin to fall. A cloth or polyethylene film is spread under the tree, after which the tree is shaken and dry, clean and unbroken nuts are collected. You can also collect them from the ground, in dry weather.
After collecting, they need to be dried. To do this, spread a blanket in a dry and well-ventilated place and pour the fruits in one layer. Drying of unshelled nuts will take 3-4 days at room temperature, in the process you need to find and remove blackened fruits.
It is important to know:
- collect at least 1-2 days after rain;
- properly clean the nuts with a special device that leaves the middle intact;
- dry the peeled fruits in the oven for longer storage;
- chopped pieces can be collected in a bag, and the crumbs can be used to prepare confectionery products;
- if you decide to collect nuts for sale, the most highly valued whole shelled fruit, not halves;
- raw ones are stored longer at a temperature of 5 °C to 10 °C;
- Nuts do not lose their beneficial properties in the cold.
In the shell
After collecting, spread a blanket at home and dry the nuts. Storage conditions:
- room temperature from 10 °C to 20 °C;
- storage period – up to 7 days.
It is not necessary to wash the green walnut kernels, as the white coating is washed away, and they quickly turn black. It is also not worth storing for a long time, because fermentation will take place in the picked fruits, and the valuable “milkiness” will be lost in 2-3 days.
Jam can be made from completely green nuts, in which the shell has not yet ossified. Its taste is pleasant, goes well with fruits and honey. In winter, it is a valuable source of vitamins during the cold season.
Tightly closed jars can be kept at room temperature for 6 months. Under a capron lid – 3 months in a cool place (refrigerator, freezer). You can also package the finished product in portions in bags or trays and freeze. Store at a temperature of -18 °C and below for up to 1 year.
For the winter
There are two ways to store these useful fruits in the winter: peeled and whole. Each of them has its own advantages, which are worth talking about in more detail.
The most important thing is to protect nuts from moths. These are her favorite treats!
Raw walnut
The fruits will remain useful longer if you do not peel them, but leave them in the shell.
Prepared nuts in the conditions of a city apartment can be stored on the balcony. To do this, they are poured into a polyethylene or fabric bag and tied tightly. It is important that they do not get wet, so it is advisable to keep them in a dry place.
Also suitable for storing this product in the apartment:
- dry cool storeroom;
- mezzanine;
- kitchen cabinet;
- a box for fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator.
Storing walnuts in the shell requires compliance with certain conditions:
- humidity not higher than 70%;
- temperature from 5 °C to 20 °C.
At the same time, it should be remembered that until spring it is necessary to periodically check stocks for the presence of spoiled fruits. And also make sure that moths and other insects do not get into the container.
Peeled walnut
Peeled fruit is convenient for the hostess, as she will not waste time preparing the ingredient for baking and other dishes. So that they do not become rancid, and kitchen moths do not start in them, you should know how to store walnuts at home:
- dried nuts can be stored in a hermetically closed dry glass jar;
- in the freezer, ripe fruits retain their taste and useful qualities for 2 years;
- the optimal storage temperature should not exceed 20 °C at a humidity of 70%.
In the fridge
It is worth noting that these are the best conditions for the fruits not to spoil for a long time. The most important thing is that there will be no moths and bugs in the refrigerator. It is also important what to keep the nuts in. The best container will be:
- a glass jar with a tight lid;
- polyethylene bag with a zip fastener;
- vacuum bags (can be packaged in portions).
The choice of shelf where the product should be stored is also important. A basket for vegetables and fruits is optimal, or on the middle shelf at a temperature of 5-7 °C.
The period of how long walnuts without shells are stored in such conditions is no more than 6 months.
These fruits tolerate frost well. It is enough to package peeled and dried nuts in convenient containers (bags, plastic cups or trays) and send them to the freezer.
At a temperature of -18 °C, nuts can be stored for up to 12 months.
Thaw them correctly gradually at room temperature.