Walnut cracking made easy.

Do you happen to have a really hard-shelled variety at home? Or are you simply postponing the nut cracking job because you have too many? Would it not be nice if you can save some time and effort using a special cracking method? Well, you should definitely try some of our tricks and see for yourself.

First, try water

For starters, try softening nutshells by soaking them in hot water. But not let them soak for too long. Put nuts into a pot and pour boiling water in.Let it rest for 20 minutes, strain and get to work. The second procedure does not utilize “the shock” approach as much. Put nuts in a pot with cold water, bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Then drain the water and let the nuts cool under the lid. Hot steam should help but this approach takes longer.

Home workshop equipment

Do you have a knife with a narrow sharp tip that you can hold comfortably?Then carefully run the tip over the gap where the two shells meet. Don’t push too hard as the tip may slip! Even this little tip-cutting will help you with the cracking process…

Photo: Pixabay

If the above advice did not help, try using slip joint pliers and you should be able to crack anything…. But you have to control the force. If you use too much, you will end up with a mushy stuff only!

Our tip: if you have walnuts with very thin nutshells , you can easily crack them with your bare hands but you will do even better if you take two nuts in your palm and crack them both. See for yourself. You can usually remove the rest of the shell with your fingers and the kernel – or the stuff we eat, should fall out.

Another trick

What about if you do not have pliers or nutcracker at home? Well, get a hammer and wooden cutting board. Wrap nuts in a towel and place it on the wooden board or other suitable surface.Tap them gently with the hammer and then finish the rest with your hand. You should only need your fingers.

Preview photo: Pixabay