Hulling Black Walnuts
Source of Recipe
by Millie/EDC, from various university extension services
Recipe Link: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-fdcooking&msg=10095.202
University of Minnesota Extension Service:
Removing the husk is an important step in storing black walnuts properly. If the nuts are stored with husks attached, the heat released as the husks decompose will discolor walnut kernels and ruin their flavor.
Hulling walnuts, removing the husk, can be a difficult and messy task. The indelible dye from the husk stains hands, clothes, tools and work surfaces. If you are working with dry nuts, the husk can be removed by applying pressure to the ends of the nut. This can be done by pounding side to side with a hammer, of course while wearing safety glasses.
The husks can also be softened in a container filled with a slurry of three parts nuts to one part water and a handful of gravel. Stir the mixture vigorously. It may take more than one attempt to completely remove the husks.
If you are hulling a large quantity of nuts, the slurry can be used in a small portable cement mixer. An old-fashioned corn sheller will also be useful in hulling black walnuts.
Take care when hulling or shelling walnuts. The practice of driving over nuts with an automobile can be a dangerous one. Nuts and broken shells may be thrown into the air by the tires, possibly causing bodily injury or property damage.
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Iowa State University:
There are various ways and devices to hull walnuts -- a cement mixer, corn Sheller, automobile wheel, and squirrel cage are possibilities. Hulls can also be removed by stomping the nuts under foot or pounding with a hammer. After hulling, thoroughly wash the nuts to remove hull debris and juices. Small quantities can be washed in a large bucket or tub. At this time, the good nuts can be sorted from the bad ones. Unfilled nuts float while filled nuts sink. (Rubber gloves should be worn when hulling and cleaning to prevent staining of the hands.)
After washing and sorting, allow the nuts to dry for two or three weeks. An excellent way to dry nuts is on a wire screen. Spread the nuts in shallow layers (no more than three nuts deep) and dry them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. A shed or garage is usually a good place to dry walnuts.
The black walnut has one of the toughest and thickest shells to crack. While nuts can be cracked with a variety of tools, the hammer and nutcracker are most commonly used. The hammer method involves placing the nut, pointed end up, on a hard surface and striking the point with the hammer until it weakens and splits into sections along its axis.
Several nut-cracking tools are also available. When cracking nuts, shattering of the kernels is often a problem. Shattering can be reduced by soaking the nuts in water for 1 or 2 hours before cracking. The soaking process allows the kernels to absorb enough moisture to become somewhat flexible, resulting in larger kernel pieces. The kernels are extracted from the nutshell with a pick and a pair of pliers.
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University of Illinois extension:
Proper gear is important in walnut handling. Wear gloves. The outside husks will stain just about anything. Walnuts were used in the past for dying cloth and baskets. You may even want to wear your favorite football or bike helmet. Style isn't the goal here.
There are many ways to remove green or partially decomposed husks. One way is to pile the nuts in a gravel driveway and drive over them a few times. The husk will slip off, but the shell will stay intact. Another method is to drill a 1-5/8 inch diameter hole in thick plywood. Use a heavy hammer to force the nut through, shearing off the husk. A 2 x 4 or heavy foot can be used to roll off the husk
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