How to store pine nuts at home

Only lazy people do not know about the benefits of pine nuts. Therefore, we will not describe the content of vitamins or minerals in them.

The collection of Siberian "gold" has a certain specificity, which will pull on a separate article. Therefore, we will not talk about it now.

But we will discuss how to store pine nuts. For it is not enough just to buy such a valuable gift of nature. You also need to know how to protect nuts from rancidity, mold, insects and rodents. After all, they are sold in various forms, and each imposes certain rules.

How to Store Roasted Peeled Pine Nuts

No way. After roasting, the nuts are stored for no more than 3 days. In any conditions. During this time, they must certainly be eaten. The thing is that when heated, they begin to secrete a large amount of oil, which very quickly rancid.

If you try to save roasted pine nuts, then you run the risk of getting an absolutely inedible, bad-smelling, bitter product for 4 days already.

How to store raw peeled pine nuts

There are much more variations, since without heat treatment, nuts can be saved for a decent period.

Freezer. Yes, pine nuts are frozen. After thawing, they do not change their consistency and do not lose all the beneficial properties. And to taste, such nuts are in no way inferior to freshly cleaned kernels.

How to freeze pine nuts? Procedure:

1. The kernels are peeled.
2. Do not wash! Only sift from shallow debris.
3. Immediately after cleaning, pour the nuts into a food container with a sealed lid. A special vacuum bag for freezing is also suitable.
4. Filled containers are placed in the freezer.

This storage method allows you to save pine nuts for 3-4 months without fear of getting mold or a bitter treat.

Important! Thawed pine nuts do not freeze a second time.

Fridge. The door of this unit has an optimum temperature for saving pine nuts. But the humidity inside the refrigerator is quite high. Therefore, the shelf life of peeled nuts is only 1, maximum 2 months. But sometimes this is enough.

In which containers to store pine nuts in the refrigerator? After all, you can’t just pour a handful on a shelf and wait for a miracle. Suitable cookware:

• glass jars
• food plastic containers
• special bags with zip fastener

It is very important that the lids of the containers fit snugly against them, otherwise the nuts will smell of other products. Or even worse, they absorb excess moisture from the air. By the way, owners of units with the “but frost” function (these are refrigerators, inside of which ice does not freeze) can not worry about excessive humidity in the chamber. But do not forget about the presence of odors.

How to store inshell pine nuts

In case you bought, received as a gift, stole (select the necessary) unpeeled nuts, then your imagination has a place to roam. The most important thing is to find a place where the temperature does not rise above + 17 ° C, and air humidity is kept at 55-60%. It could be:

• cool pantry
• dry cellar
• ventilated subfloor

It is clear that it is more difficult for residents of apartment buildings to find the right place to store. In this case, a refrigerator under the window or a kitchen cabinet is suitable. The old-style apartments have quite spacious built-in storage rooms.

What to store unpeeled pine nuts? Siberians recommend using for this:

• Thick cardboard boxes.
• Cans.
• Wooden or birch bark boxes.
• Glass container.
• Canvas or linen bags.
• Wicker baskets.

These residents of our country do not recognize plastic containers. Follow the advice of professionals, because they are satisfied with the wisdom of their ancestors, and use only natural materials.

Properly selected storage conditions allow you to save unpeeled pine nuts up to six months.

How to store pine nuts in cones

Sometimes a person buys or receives a pine cone as a gift. But she doesn’t want to immediately taste the Siberian delicacies. Or, for example, it suddenly turns out that such cones are a whole bag. Here it is already physically impossible to eat them immediately. One thing remains: to preserve the gift of nature correctly.

This will not require anything special. Only a wooden box with a lid will be needed. Feel free to pour cones into it, close it, and place it in the conditions described in the previous section. Why is the lid needed? She will protect your supplies from dust and unexpected guests - rodents or insects. After all, they also do not mind eating pine nuts.

Another option is even simpler. Pour the cones into a linen or canvas bag. Then hang them from the ceiling with a strong rope. Basement, subfloor or pantry does not matter. The main conditions:

• darkness
• cool
• dryness

With this method of storage, cedar cones feel great up to 8 months.

Useful Tips

It is best to buy pine nuts in October, or even in September. This is the best time to harvest and complete aging.

Do not try to store nuts in syrup or diced in sugar. Such a treat has a very short shelf life. It is only 2-3 days.

Do not try to wash nuts before laying in reserve! This will provoke the early appearance of mold, or something else pathogenic for the body. In general, pine nuts are not accepted to be washed, even peeled. They are only recommended to be screened or crushed from possible small debris. Craftsmen use a stream of air from a vacuum cleaner, naturally, that on the street. Otherwise, trash and rubbish will scatter throughout the house.

If you remove the nuts from the freshly picked cones, then be sure to dry them before storage. It is enough to spread the fabric and pour nuts on it with a layer of no more than 5 cm. From time to time, grow your stocks. After several days in the sun, you can sprinkle the treat in the right container to put away in stocks.

Now you know how to store pine nuts. And for a long time you will enjoy the delicate buttery taste of this wonderful product in every respect.

Video: the beneficial properties of pine nuts