How to process black walnuts
After the fun part of harvesting black walnuts is over, it’s time to start the not so fun part of processing. That means you need to remove the shell and then wash and dry the actual walnut in it. Below you will find my processing method:
1) Prepare your environment (and yourself). -Prepare to get messy! Put on a pair of heavy-duty gloves, fill a 5-gallon bucket halfway with water and set it aside. Cover the work area with newspaper or other covering to protect your clothing from stains caused by black walnut hulls. I chose to work outside, where it doesn’t matter if there is a mess.
2) Remove the peel -To remove the shell from a walnut, use a sharp paring knife and cut the soft green hull in a single motion. Don’t press too hard: the inside of the shell is extremely hard and will only dull your knife. If you notice insects or small worms in the shell, simply ignore them: they rarely make their way into the nuts.
Then place both hands on the peel and twist in opposite directions. The peels should fall off easily, leaving small pieces of peel stuck to the shell. If the skin is too hard to cut through, let it sit for a few days to soften.
If using a sharp knife doesn’t work, you can try hitting the peel on a hard surface with a hammer. This will crack it and make it easier to peel off the rest of the skin. After breaking the peel, roll the fruit on a sturdy surface until most of the peel comes off. Then peel off as much as possible with your gloved hands.
3) Wash the nuts -Once you have shelled all the black walnuts, place them in a bucket of water and throw the shells in the trash. Do not place them in your compost pile, as they contain juglon, which is poisonous to plants. To remove any extra bits of shell, stir the nuts vigorously in the water bucket with a broom handle or other device. Drain the nuts and inspect. If there is still too much peel, wash them again.
4) Do a float test – To distinguish good nuts from bad, drop a handful of clean nuts into a bucket of water. Any that float are bad: throw them away. Give the bucket a good stir, making sure to stir the nuts, checking again for floats once they have settled. If they have sunk to the bottom and none are floating, that means they are full, good nuts, and you can remove them from the bucket to another rack to begin drying.
5) Dry and harden them – Spread the walnuts in a wooden or mesh container and then dry them in the sun for a few hours or until all the moisture is gone. Then let them dry for four to six weeks in a dry place, such as an onion bag or a wooden box. This will greatly improve the flavor and make it easier to remove the nut meat.