Shell Pecans

Whether you plan to eat them plain or roasted, or are going to use them in your favorite pie recipe, before pecans are eaten, they must be shelled and cleaned. Here are the steps required to extract them from their tough, woody shells.

Steps

 * 1)  [[Image:Nutcracking_018_808.jpg|thumb|A bucket of pecans of the same variety, they are all about the same size.]]Harvest or buy some in-shell pecans.  Choose a variety that is uniform in size and shape, and feels heavy in your hands.  Stuart or Moneymaker pecans are two common and popular varieties.
 * 2)  Choose your method for cracking these tough nuts.  A simple hammer and a solid surface will suffice, but a specially designed pecan cracker will do a cleaner, more efficient job.
 * 3) *[[Image:Nutcracking_024_392.jpg|thumb|Slipjoint pliers used to crack a pecan.]]Ordinary slipjoint pliers can be used for cracking pecan shells.
 * 4) *[[Image:Nutcracking_021_152.jpg|thumb|A simple nutcracker used to crack a pecan.]]A general purpose nutcracker can also be used for this purpose.
 * 5) *[[Image:Nutcracking_003_616.jpg|thumb|Using a Rocket nutcracker. ]]A specialized tool like a Rocket (brand name) or an inertial type pecan cracker may be used if you choose to purchase one.
 * 6)  [[Image:Nutcracking_004_835.jpg|thumb|A pecan that has been properly cracked for easy shelling.]]Crack the shells, taking care to leave the nutmeats as intact as possible when doing so.  Pecans are ideally removed from their shells in halves, but any of the nutmeat which can be retained during the shelling process is usable. (See the video below for a demonstration of using a Rocket nutcracker.)
 * 7)  [[Image:Nutcracking_026_209.jpg|thumb|Picking out the pecan nutmeat.]]Using your fingers or a small pair of pliers, pull the shell away from the nutmeats.  It is usually preferable to work from the rounded end of the nut toward the pointed end, as the two halves of the nutmeat are joined on the pointed end, and it is more likely the nut will break up if you pry on that end.
 * 8)  If you do not have any tools, you can take two nuts and squeeze them together and one will crack enough to peel the shell off.
 * 9)  Use a pick, a toothpick, or even a narrow piece of pecan shell to scrape the woody shell material from the fissures in the nutmeat.  A small amount of this material left in the nut can leave a bitter taste in the mouth of the person who consumes it.
 * 10)  Place the nutmeats in a perforated container or a colander to dry.  This will allow the nutmeat to season, giving them a better flavor when eaten.
 * 11)  Store the nutmeats in a sealed container.  They will stay fresh for several days on your countertop if they are not exposed to moisture, for weeks in a refrigerator, and up to a year in a freezer.

Tips

 * Choose suitable nuts for your planned usage. Varieties can vary greatly in oil content, yield, ease of shelling, and flavor.
 * When cracking the pecans, be aware shell fragments can splinter and scatter around the area where you are working, so doing this task outdoors may be a good idea if practical.
 * Store unshelled pecans in a protected area. Squirrels and other rodents may raid your supply if they have access to them.

Warnings

 * When cracking pecans with a mechanical device, splintered pieces of the shell can fly in every direction, so wearing eye protection is recommended.

Things You'll Need

 * Pecans
 * Pecan cracker, pliers, or a hammer
 * Container for separating the nuts from the shells

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Harvest Pecans
 * How to Crack Pecan Nuts
 * How to Make Pecan Pralines
 * How to Harvest Black Walnuts