Drying Hickory Nuts? - Ask Extension
Greetings. We're collecting shagbark hickory nuts that have fallen from our tree--we have a bumper crop this year--and they are still encased in gree...
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Drying Hickory Nuts? #484262
Asked September 11, 2018, 4:29 PM EDT
Greetings. We're collecting shagbark hickory nuts that have fallen from our tree--we have a bumper crop this year--and they are still encased in green husks. Do we need to dry them before we remove the husk? If so, how do we go about doing that? If not, what's the best way to remove the green husk? Thanks for your help.
Ingham County Michigan
Expert Response
Removing the green hull can be done by stomping on the nuts to break open the hull. Immersing the nuts in water and removing the floaters can help you sort out any that contain weevil larvae. Place them on a screen to dry in a shaded location for a few days. Once they are dry, you can crack them open with a hammer. Place the nut on its side on a solid surface such as a cement block or brick and hit it with a hammer. A nutpick will help to extract the kernels.
