You just got some hickory nuts. Good for you! Your mouth is about to explode with the delicious nutty flavor. In my humble opinion there is no better nut!
I want you to get maximum enjoyment out of these nuts. Here are a few tips.
How to Get that Goodness in You
It’s an age old problem: cracking nuts and getting that delicious, wholesome nut meat in your body! Back in the stone ages
they used stones to crack nuts. Just hit the nut with a stone. I image they used something like a porcupine quill or stick to dig the meat out.
Thankfully, today we have nut crackers and nut picks.
Hickory nuts aren’t especially hard, so a regular old, hand-held nut cracker is just fine. If you’re sitting around watching a movie or hanging out with friends then that is the best way. Just crack and eat.
If you are doing a lot of nut cracking then you might want to get something more heavy-duty like this nut cracker.
How to Prepare Hickory Nuts
Raw
Raw is the most simple. This is how I eat them. Just get your nut cracker and pick and start eating! You can bake with them or eat them straight.
Roasted
Roasted are the next simple and they take the taste to new levels! Simply spread out the nuts on a cookie sheet. The don’t have to be shelled. Put them in the oven at 300° for 60-90 minutes. If they are shelled then you can sprinkle a little tiny bit of veggie oil and salt.
Once they are roasted then you can bake with them or eat them straight.
Pies
Use hickory nuts in place of pecans in pecan pie! So good
Milk
You can make a hickory nut milk. I mix it into smoothies and ice cream, but you can drink it straight. It is so good for you and tastes amazing.
Hickory Nut Milk
How to Store Hickory Nuts
Hickory nuts last quite a long time. Especially when they are whole. There are a few things you can do to make them last even longer though!
How to Store Hickory Nuts
Cracked
If your hickory nuts are already cracked then they may not last as long, but they will still last for a long time. If they are cracked then we recommend you put them in a zip lock back or vacuum sealer and put them in the freezer. if you don’t do that then keep them in a zip lock bag at least.
Whole
You could just put them on the counter and come back and eat them a year or more later and they would taste just as amazing. Likewise if you put them in a zip lock bag or vacuum seal and put them in the freezer they will last you years.
A Few Quick Points
- Be careful of the shells! They can drive in between your teeth like a wedge and split a tooth. I had this happen to a friend. Just take a little extra time to make sure you got every little piece of shell out before you pop back a handful