How Do You Cure Black Walnuts

You cure black walnuts by removing the hulls, curing the nuts in their shells, and then cracking them open to enjoy the nutmeats inside.
 
If you’ve been asking yourself how do you cure black walnuts, the short answer is that curing black walnuts is a simple process of hulling, washing, and drying the nuts so they can be stored and eaten safely.
 
Black walnuts aren’t like regular walnuts you buy at the store because they come with a thick, stubborn hull that has to go first.
 
Once you cure black walnuts properly, they’ll keep for months and taste amazing in baked goods, snacks, and even ice cream.
 
In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how you cure black walnuts, from harvest to hulling to drying, plus a few tips to avoid common mistakes along the way.
 
Let’s dive in.
 

How Do You Cure Black Walnuts?

You cure black walnuts by hulling them, washing them, and then drying them in a cool, well-ventilated spot for several weeks.
 
The reason you cure black walnuts at all is because fresh black walnuts are too moist to store without molding.
 
Curing black walnuts pulls out that excess moisture slowly so the nutmeats inside can firm up and develop their rich, bold flavor.
 
If you skip curing black walnuts, you’ll end up with soggy, moldy nuts that aren’t worth cracking.
 
Here’s a closer look at each step in the process of how do you cure black walnuts.
 

1. Harvest Black Walnuts at the Right Time

The best time to harvest black walnuts is in early fall when the green hulls start turning yellow and the nuts begin dropping from the tree.
 
You want to gather black walnuts soon after they fall so they don’t sit on the ground too long and get moldy or infested.
 
Don’t pick black walnuts straight off the tree because they won’t be ripe enough yet.
 

2. Remove the Hulls Quickly

Once you’ve gathered your black walnuts, the next step in how do you cure black walnuts is to remove the hulls.
 
You can do this by stomping on them with boots, using a hammer, or running them through a corn sheller.
 
Wear gloves because black walnut hulls stain your hands for weeks and can irritate your skin.
 
You cure black walnuts faster when you hull them within a day or two of harvest.
 

3. Wash the Nuts Thoroughly

After hulling, wash your black walnuts in a bucket of water to remove any leftover hull bits and debris.
 
As you cure black walnuts, this washing step matters because leftover hull material can cause the shells to rot.
 
Good black walnuts will sink to the bottom, while the bad ones float to the top.
 
Toss out the floaters so you only cure black walnuts that are actually viable.
 

How Long Do You Cure Black Walnuts?

You cure black walnuts for about two to four weeks, though some people let them dry for up to six weeks.
 
The exact time to cure black walnuts depends on your climate and how much airflow they get.
 

1. Spread Them Out in a Single Layer

To cure black walnuts, spread them out in a single layer on screens, trays, or burlap sacks.
 
Don’t pile them up because black walnuts need air circulating around each shell to dry evenly.
 

2. Choose a Cool, Dry, Ventilated Spot

You cure black walnuts best in a cool, dry place like a garage, attic, or shed with good ventilation.
 
Avoid humid spots because moisture will undo all your effort to cure black walnuts properly.
 

3. Turn Them Occasionally

As you cure black walnuts, flip them every few days so all sides dry out.
 
You’ll know you’ve cured black walnuts long enough when the shells feel light and hard and shake easily.
 

How Do You Store and Crack Cured Black Walnuts?

Once you cure black walnuts, store them in their shells in a cool, dry place or freeze them for longer shelf life.
 
You cure black walnuts so they’ll last through winter and beyond, and proper storage keeps them fresh.
 

1. Store Them in Breathable Containers

After you cure black walnuts, keep them in mesh bags or cardboard boxes so air can still move around them.
 
Sealed plastic containers can trap moisture and ruin the batch you worked so hard to cure black walnuts in.
 

2. Crack Them Open When Ready

When you’re ready to eat them, crack your cured black walnuts with a hammer or a heavy-duty nutcracker.
 
The shells are super hard, so take your time and don’t smash the nutmeats inside.
 

3. Freeze the Shelled Nutmeats

If you cure black walnuts and then shell a big batch, freeze the nutmeats to keep them from going rancid.
 
You cure black walnuts for the long haul, so freezing is a smart final step.
 

So, How Do You Cure Black Walnuts?

You cure black walnuts by hulling them, washing them, and drying them for several weeks in a cool, ventilated spot.
 
It’s not a fast process, but it’s worth it because cured black walnuts taste incredible and last for months.
 
Now that you know how do you cure black walnuts, you can harvest with confidence this fall and enjoy your own home-cured stash.