How to dry hazelnuts? When do hazelnuts ripen?

Beneficial features

Few people know about the benefits of hazelnuts. After all, most people value and consume such a product solely for its excellent taste. But before I tell you how to dry hazelnuts, I should tell you what properties they have.

The fact is that hazel fruits contain about 60% oil, which contains organic acids. In addition, hazelnuts contain vitamins E and B, as well as magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium and other minerals. Such fruits contain about 20% protein. That is why they are recommended for those who follow a vegetarian diet or are exhausted after a long illness.

Storage

There are two main options for storing walnuts. They can be stored either in shell or peeled. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspect of storing in a shell is the best protection against most pests (moths, flies, bugs). Also, nuts stored in shell can be stored longer. They are less susceptible to rancidity and retain their taste and aroma qualities for a long time. But they must be used within 1.5 years.

Proper storage of walnuts in shell

Walnuts for storage are selected like apples. They must be carefully sorted and any damaged or fungus-affected fruits must be discarded. You can identify a spoiled nut by its distinctive dark shell, the presence of cobwebs, and green mold.

Storage in a box

Discard well-cleaned, dried nuts that are unsuitable for storage.

Pay attention to the remains of green shells and dirt. They can lead to mold formation

Place the processed nuts in a wooden box lined with paper. Store in a dark, dry place. The ideal storage room temperature is about 20°C.

Storage in bags

Place the sorted nuts into mesh or fabric bags. Place them in a dry place

It is important that the nuts do not absorb moisture and do not spoil. Both high and low temperatures are inappropriate

Temperature fluctuations are even more undesirable.

Storage in salt

A proven, but more demanding home option for storing walnuts is adding salt. Place layers of nuts and salt mixed with dried shavings or sawdust in glass jars. In a cool, dry room, nuts in salt can be stored all winter.

Proper storage of shelled walnuts

After drying the walnuts, clean the kernels and dry them on a sieve or newspaper on a radiator. This will ensure thorough drying and minimize the risk of mold.

If you have dried already cleaned fresh kernels, no additional drying is required.

Store the kernels whole, do not crush them. This minimizes the risk of rancidity and keeps them fresh longer. They must be used within one year, regardless of storage method. If this period is exceeded, there is a risk of product damage.

Important! The shelf life of shelled walnuts varies. Its duration depends on the environment in which they are formed

The ideal option is a dark, cool room. In heat, peeled kernels will quickly go rancid.

Dry rolling of walnuts – for several years

This method is used by many housewives. Dry rolling into jars allows you to preserve the freshness of peeled kernels for years. You can sterilize nuts in jars in a saucepan, oven, or microwave.

Microwave sterilization:

• Place the dried, peeled kernels in clean, dry jars about 1 cm below the top edge.
• Place the filled jar in the microwave.
• Turn on minimum power.
• After 3 minutes, remove, close the jar with a lid, and turn it upside down.
• Once cooled, move to a cool, dry place.

Sterilization in a pan:

• Fill the jar with walnut kernels.
• Place a rag on the bottom of the pan and pour water.
• Place the jars in the water. They must be completely submerged. To prevent floating, place a suitable press on top (eg a heavy, smaller lid).
• Bring to a boil, boil for about 1.5 hours at a temperature of about 80ºC.
• Take it out and turn it upside down.
• Once cooled, move to a cool, dry place.

Freezing – up to 1 year

The advantage of freezing is that at a constant temperature below 0ºC, walnut kernels do not change their appearance, taste, or aroma. Also, frozen kernels can be processed, crushed, and used for cooking without waiting for thawing. You can store both whole and chopped nuts in the freezer. To store the nuts, use a well-closing plastic container or a strong bag. Don't forget to mark the frozen date - they should be used within 12 months. After a while they begin to lose their typical nutty taste.

Refrigerated storage – up to 4 months

The simplest solution is to place the kernels in the refrigerator. Peeled nuts can be stored in the cold for 3-4 months. To avoid absorbing foreign odors, place them in an airtight container or use a heavy-duty plastic zip-lock bag.

Hazelnuts and medicine

For what diseases should hazelnuts be consumed (you can see a photo of the fruit in this article)? Experts say that this product especially helps those who have problems with the cardiovascular system. Thus, calcium and potassium, which are present in nuts, have a positive effect on the walls of the smooth muscles of the heart and blood vessels, helping them remain elastic for a long time.

It should also be noted that hazelnuts are very often prescribed to patients with blood diseases (for example, anemia). The beneficial properties of such fruits help cure thrombophlebitis, varicose veins, problems with capillaries, trophic ulcers of the lower leg, etc. In addition, hazelnuts provide real help in weakening the immune system and enlarging the prostate gland.

It should also be noted that hazel fruits are often used to prevent putrefactive processes and cleanse the entire body. Due to the low amount of carbohydrates, this nut is recommended for use by patients suffering from diabetes.

Hazelnuts and hazelnuts: the difference between fruits

Culinary recipes very often say that it is recommended to add only hazelnuts or, conversely, hazelnuts to a particular dish. In this regard, housewives often ask the question, what exactly is the difference between these fruits?

The fact is that hazelnut (or so-called hazel) is a product that people collect in the forest. It should be noted that this is a rather unprofitable way to collect fruits. In this regard, confectionery products with this nut are very expensive. As for hazelnuts, these are “cultivated” hazels. At the moment, quite a lot of different varieties of these fruits have been bred. Mostly Turkish hazelnuts are imported into our country. This crop is very productive, although real hazelnuts are much healthier, as they contain much more vitamins and minerals.

When to collect?

The first question asked by people who decide to stock up on such a product for the winter is as follows: when do hazelnuts ripen? According to experts, this depends entirely on the natural and climatic conditions of the place where the hazel grows. But, as a rule, this period falls on July-September. Of course, you can also collect green, that is, unripe hazelnuts. After all, even they have the beneficial properties that we described above. But you can save them for no more than one month. In this regard, experienced specialists recommend harvesting only ripened fruits.

So when does the hazelnut ripen? A clear sign of the maturity of such fruits is the brown, and sometimes even yellowish color of the peel. It should be noted that such nuts are found in the forest already at the end of August. But the fruits continue to ripen until mid-September. So, in early October, the nuts become overripe and begin to fall off the branches en masse, marking the end of the harvest.

How to dry other types of nuts

The good thing about hazelnuts is that they can be collected from the forest. Other types (walnuts, peanuts, cashews) must either be grown or purchased from the store. At the same time, housewives often have to deal with the need to dry these nuts. They store better when dried.

The drying technology is exactly the same as for hazelnuts. Only the processing time differs. For example, it is better to fry peeled peanuts in a frying pan, and 3-5 minutes is enough. The kernels acquire a very pleasant taste and aroma. But you can also dry them outdoors, in an oven or in an electric dryer.

Walnuts in the shell are not dried in a frying pan. It is better to use an oven or a special device in this case. Drying time is 4-5 hours at a temperature of 60 °C. It is worth understanding that any nuts should be stored only in well-ventilated and dry areas. Plastic bags and closed plastic containers cannot be used. Linen bags are ideal.

If for some reason the nuts become damp, they need to be dried again. Some housewives dry hazel or walnuts several times during the winter as a preventive measure. This prevents mold and allows the product to last for many months. Walnuts, if well dried, retain their properties for 2 years.

Hazelnut harvesting should be planned in August, September or at the very beginning of October, depending on the region and some other factors. It is worth paying attention to signs of maturity. Immediately after harvesting, it must be dried. The drying technology is the same for all nuts.

Cleaning hazelnuts at home

After harvesting, you will certainly have a new question about how to peel hazelnuts? It should be noted that this does not take much time. However, this procedure requires special care. Otherwise, you may damage the kernel, which will prevent you from retaining all the beneficial properties in it.

So, to clean a hazelnut, you will need to prepare a soft, but not very thick cloth and a small hammer. By the way, choosing material for such a procedure should be based on the assumption that in the future you will simply throw it away.

Thus, a soft cloth should be spread on a flat and hard surface (for example, on a board of some kind), and then the nut should be placed on it. After this, it is recommended to close the product with the second end of the material and, holding it with your left hand, lightly hit the shell with a small hammer. As a result of this, the nut should crack, but the kernel should remain intact.

What is the fabric for, you ask? This procedure can be carried out without soft material. But in this case, there is a possibility that the hazel fruit shells will fly apart in different directions. Moreover, as a result of this, you yourself may suffer (for example, if a piece of shell gets into your eye).

How to dry hazelnuts in shell?

Green hazelnuts contain many healing properties, but they do not last long. You can get more benefits from ripened fruits, since they can not spoil for a long time. The hazelnut should turn brown. Only then can it be collected. The peel may be yellow in color. The harvest needs to be done in September.

The collection technology is similar to harvesting walnuts. Soft material is spread on the ground. The walnut tree should be shaken. The peel remaining on the fruit is peeled. You can use a small hammer to gently remove the skin.

After a successful harvest, you should think about storing it. If you dry it properly, it will last a long time. There are different drying methods. For this you can use:

• Sun rays;
• oven;
• electric dryer;
• frying pan

In each case, drying occurs differently.

Storage Features

How can you preserve hazelnuts until winter? When to collect such fruits and exactly how to clean them, we described a little higher. But in order to preserve this product, it needs to be properly processed. It should be especially noted that for such a procedure there is no need to pre-shell the hazelnuts. In other words, the previous stage of preparing a tasty and nutritious product can be omitted. Although some drying methods require mandatory cleaning of the fruit. But first things first.

Basic methods of drying hazelnuts

Few people know how to dry hazelnuts at home. And it should be noted that today there are many ways to pre-treat hazelnuts. This is due, first of all, to the fact that only dried nuts can please you with a long shelf life and maximum preservation of nutrients. That is why, after you have reaped a rich harvest, you should be sure to thoroughly dry it.

So, currently, hazelnuts can be dried in several ways:

• in an electric dryer (can be purchased at almost any hardware store);
• in a frying pan;
• in the sun;
• in the oven.

To understand how to dry hazelnuts correctly, we will talk about each of the presented methods in more detail.

Preparation stage

There are different drying methods, but first, you should learn how to properly collect hazelnuts and, if necessary, clean them:

1. Usually the harvest ripens by September-October and coincides with the active yellowing of the foliage. They spread a tarpaulin under the tree and begin to shake it. The lower branches can be tilted;
2. Ripe fruits have a red-brown or dirty yellow color (depending on the variety);
3. The collected nuts need to be sorted, peeled, and spoiled ones removed: those with damaged shells, stains, mold;
4. Next, the fruits are washed in clean water and scattered in the fresh air on newspaper to dry;
5. If you want to clean the shell, soak it for an hour and a half, pouring boiling water over it. Then the shell is broken with a hammer and the kernels are removed;
6. They sort and remove spoiled ones;
7. To remove a thin film, pour boiling water over the peeled nuts for 10 minutes, then cool and roll the shell with your fingers.

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Now, for successful long-term storage, the kernels need to be dried.

In the oven

Let's find out how to dry hazelnuts in the oven, because this is the simplest and most technically uncomplicated method that does not require constant monitoring of the process:

In a shell

• If you decide to dry hazelnuts in shells, pour them onto a baking sheet in 2 layers;
• Preheat the oven to 120 degrees;
• Turn on the convection option or open the door slightly;
• Dry for 5-6 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.

Peeled

• Drying peeled hazelnuts at home using an oven is practically the same, but spread parchment on a baking sheet;
• Oven heating temperature – 80-100 degrees;
• Drying time is no more than 2 hours, the nuts are mixed every 15 minutes.

The lower the oven temperature and the shorter the drying time, the more vitamins will be retained in the hazelnuts. Dried fruits smell fragrant, and the kernels at the core acquire a golden color.

In the microwave

We told you how to dry hazelnuts in their shells in the oven, however, there is another household appliance suitable for our task. We are talking about a microwave in which nuts can be dried both in shell and in shelled form. The drying process will take ten times less time. True, the size of one serving will be no more than 300 g.

In a shell

• The hazelnuts in the shell are spread on a dish in one layer;
• Turn on the oven for 10 minutes at a power of 750 W;
• Upon completion, check the kernels, add another 5 minutes if necessary;

Peeled

• The peeled fruits are heated at the same power for 3 minutes;
• Allow them to cool and turn on the program again for 3 minutes;
• Check for readiness and, if necessary, extend drying for another 2 minutes.

In a frying pan

As you understand, drying all the hazelnuts in the oven or microwave, in shell or without, will take a lot of time. There is a faster way - frying nuts in a frying pan. During the heat treatment, the shell itself will crack and can be easily separated from the kernels. However, keep in mind that with this method the nutritional properties of the product are most lost.

• Take a dry frying pan and add hazelnuts to the top, but make sure they don’t spill out when stirring;
• Fry, stirring continuously - this is very important, because the fruits burn very quickly. After this, they become tasteless and absolutely useless;
• First, fry over low heat for 3 minutes, then over medium heat for another 5-8 minutes;
• When ready, immediately pour the fruits into a dry container.

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In a special combine

Let's continue to look at how to properly dry hazelnuts, and next is the use of a special drying device. The same one in which caring summer residents dry fruits and vegetables for the winter. It allows hazelnuts to dry most evenly, with minimal impact on the quality of the nutritional composition.

• Place the peeled nuts on all tiers of the processor in one layer;
• Set the temperature to 90 degrees;
• If you are wondering how long to dry hazelnuts in such an oven, feel free to close it there for 4-5 hours. At the same time, the kernels do not need to be mixed, since hot air is evenly blown inside them from all sides;
• Unpeeled fruits will have to be dried for at least 10 hours. After this period, they need to be checked and, if necessary, the process extended.

Outdoors

This is the longest method, but the most useful. Naturally dried nuts retain 100% of their nutrients and do not change taste or color. It is advisable to dry unpeeled fruits, as this reduces the risk of parasites infesting them.

Check out how to dry hazelnuts outdoors:

• The washed nuts are laid out on a fabric mat in one layer and covered with thin gauze;
• The tray with the kernels is placed outside directly in the sun, in a location with good airflow;
• Mix the nuts well 3-5 times a day;
• At night, the pallets are placed in a dry room to protect them from morning dew. Do the same if the weather becomes humid;
• On average, drying in the sun takes 5-7 days.

You can also air dry hazelnuts at home. Pallets are placed near radiators or on heated floors, but not in the bathroom.

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Drying fruits in an electric dryer

This is a special device that is designed for drying fruits, vegetables and nuts. Such a device is sold in almost every hardware store. And if you are an avid summer resident who annually harvests large harvests, then the presented device will greatly help you preserve the products collected from your own garden bed, as well as hazelnuts.

So, for this we only need shelled hazel fruits. This is due to the fact that such electrical appliances are not designed for very high temperatures, which are essential for drying fruits in their skins.

Thus, nuts should be dried using an electric dryer for 5-6 hours. It is recommended to stir the fruits periodically so that they are processed more evenly.

Drying nuts in the oven

If you decide to dry hazelnuts (hazelnuts) in the oven, then it is not at all necessary to first peel them. After all, with the help of such a kitchen device, you can achieve uniform processing of all fruits even in the peel.

To carry out this procedure, the collected nuts need to be placed on a baking sheet, and then sent to a preheated oven (up to about 120 degrees). The fruits should be kept in this state for several hours. If you decide to dry the shelled nuts, then the temperature needs to be lowered to 90 degrees.

When and how to collect

Most often, nuts ripen in late summer and early autumn.

The first sign of ripening of a nut is its color. If the nut is ripe, the color of the hazel will be slightly brown and then completely dark. Ripe hazelnuts are also found in August, but fully ripen only at the beginning of autumn. Then nuts can be collected not only on the bushes, but also under them, since mature nuts tend to crumble.

As a rule, nuts are collected in sunny weather. This process doesn't take much effort. If the plant is low, then the nuts are simply collected from the branches, but if the plant is tall, then the nuts are shaken off it.

Drying hazelnuts in the sun

This method can be used only if in the region where you live the sun remains warm even after the harvest has been harvested. By the way, it is recommended to process hazelnuts in this way outdoors. That is why this drying method is most suitable for village residents. After all, if you place the fruits on a balcony near which there is a busy highway, then there can be no talk about the beneficial properties of the product.

So, if conditions allow, then the collected nuts need to be spread out in a thin layer on a clean sheet of paper, and then placed in a sunny and well-ventilated place. However, it should be noted that at night, as well as during rain, the product must be brought indoors. Otherwise, the fruits can quickly collect excess moisture. After a few days of drying this way, the nuts will be completely ready.

Ways to properly dry hazel

In order for hazelnuts to be stored well, they must not only be collected within a certain period of time, but also properly dried. First you need to sort out the crop. The stalks should be separated. All damaged and moldy nuts, as well as those that have changed color, must be removed: they will not be stored anyway. It is recommended to wash the nuts before drying. They can also be prepared in purified form. In this case, they will also lie for a long time, but will take up less space. It is much more convenient to use peeled hazelnuts.

The easiest drying method involves keeping it in the open air. If it's warm and dry outside, you can spread the film on a flat surface and lay out the nuts in one row. They need to be turned over from time to time. At night, hazel should be put in a warm and dry room. The drying process in this case may take several days.

Nuts can be dried in the oven, shelled or unshelled. To do this, they are laid out on a baking sheet in 2 layers and the oven is turned on at 60-100 °C. If there is a convection mode, it is better to turn it on. If this is not possible, you should simply open the cabinet door. Drying takes 2-4 hours. You can turn off the stove from time to time and transfer the nuts.

Special devices called electric dryers are also excellent for drying. Place the peeled nuts or directly in the shell on baking sheets and turn on the device at 60-80 °C. Electric dryers have fans, which speed up the process.

If you need to dry the nuts very quickly, you can use a regular frying pan with a thick bottom. It must be put on fire, pour in the unpeeled nuts, fry for 5-7 minutes, constantly turning, and then reduce the heat and fry for about 10 minutes with constant stirring. If you don't stir the product, it will burn or one side will be overly fried and the other raw. You can also dry peeled hazel in a frying pan, but the cooking time is slightly reduced. You can simply fry them in a dry frying pan over low heat.

How to properly store dried hazelnuts?

As mentioned above, only well-ripened and dried hazelnuts can boast a long shelf life with maximum preservation of all useful substances.

If you have previously shelled the hazelnuts and then carefully processed them in a frying pan, in the sun, in an electric dryer or oven, then it is recommended to store them only in a tightly sealed glass jar. Moreover, it is advisable to place the filled container in a dark, cool place. It is also allowed to store shelled nuts in a bag. But in this case they should be sent to the refrigerator. Although, with such storage, hazelnuts retain all their beneficial properties for no more than 6 months.

If you have not shelled the hazelnuts, it is recommended to place the dried fruits in a fabric or paper bag. In the future, it is advisable to send it to a dry, but slightly cool and dark place. In this case, be sure to periodically check the product for rot and mold stains. If you find this, then under no circumstances eat nuts and do not try to “reanimate” them. All you have to do is throw them in the trash. If you do not do this, then you risk harming your own health, since eating moldy fruits causes a severe allergic reaction and causes a serious blow to the liver. This is due to the fact that such a product produces quite dangerous substances called aflatoxins. According to experts, they produce molds that are not afraid of heat treatment and are practically not removed from the human body.

When to collect nuts in the forest: favorable days in 2021

Hazelnuts are highly valued for their rich flavor and high protein content. Hazel is native to regions with a subtropical climate: Crimea, Caucasus, Kuban, Asia Minor. But it grows almost everywhere. Most often it can be found in deciduous forests adjacent to maples and oaks. In the undergrowth, wild hazel is capable of forming a continuous wall of branchy bushes.

Hazelnuts should be collected in August or September. The collection time depends on the varietal characteristics (there are about 30 varieties in total), as well as on the region of growth. Weather conditions are also important. If the winter was warm, spring and summer came early, and the weather was pleasant, then the nut collection should be planned 1-2 weeks earlier than usual.

It is very important to choose the right moment for harvesting. If you pick nuts from the bushes earlier, they will not be stored and it will be difficult to clean. And in terms of taste, the harvest will not reach the standard. Unripe nuts are more tender, but they do not have time to accumulate nutrients.

In mature hazel, the shell acquires a brown tint. The nuts are easily separated from the branches. You just need to shake the bush to reap the harvest. Unripe nuts have a green shell, the petals are also green, tightly adjacent to the surface of the shell.

On a note!

A well-ripened and dried nut can be stored for up to 12 months, while unripe nuts can be stored for no more than 1 month, after which they begin to dry out and deteriorate.

Astrologers recommend collecting hazel for the winter strictly on the waning moon. In this case, the crop will be stored better. In 2021, you should focus on the table:

The days of the new moon and full moon are considered prohibited. On these dates, it is not recommended to start something new and make preparations. You can collect nuts on unfavorable and prohibited days if you do not plan to store them for a long time.

How to use?

If you managed to collect a large number of hazelnuts, clean them properly, dry them and store them at home, then finding a use for them is quite easy. You can eat the fruits just like that. However, it is recommended to eat no more than 8-9 nuts per day. After all, they contain a large amount of minerals and vitamins, which, if consumed in excess, can have a detrimental effect on your health.

In addition, shelled hazelnuts are often used in cooking. Whole fruits are good to add to homemade chocolate, cakes and candies. As for crushed hazelnuts, they can be sprinkled on the surface of the cake, used to prepare various sauces, goulash, etc. It should be noted that such a product is capable of imparting not only nutritional properties to dishes, but also special taste qualities.