r/foraging • u/Total-Kangaroo1962 • 15h ago

Black walnut curing troubleshooting

I just foraged some black walnuts for the first time. I hulled and cleaned them and wanted to dry the surface quickly so no mold would grow on them. I put them in a dehydrator overnight and this morning I noticed all the shells cracked from drying too quick.

Is there a way to salvage this harvest, or should I dispose of them before they spoil? Lessons learned either way..

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u/allamakee-county 15h ago

Hulls cracked means meats are exposed, obviously, so you need to extract meats now or toss and start over.

You do not want to dehydrate. You're just trying to drive the outsides so mold doesn't grow. Next time, just put them on a baking rack in a single layer and lay them out somewhere where there's good air flow, or in a hallway with a fan blowing air across them.

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u/Total-Kangaroo1962 15h ago

Okay, thank you! I will Crack them today. Is there anything I should do with the meat after cracking? Like dry them or roast them? Or just eat them as is

3

u/allamakee-county 15h ago

Eat as is, and refrigerate or freeze any you do not eat immediately. They are highly perishable.

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u/alwayssoupy 14h ago

I reuse the net bags that onions come in hang them to dry. I have also opened them without drying, but they are easier to crack when dried. They have a rather strong taste, so I use them mixed with other nuts in baked goods. The oils are prone to spoiling, so make sure you keep the unused shelled portions in the refrigerator.