How to Shell Pecans

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Categories: Food | Snacks | Food & Drink | How Tos
  • Although pecans in the shell have a long storage life, you'll need to manually remove the nuts before you enjoy them as a delicious addition to sweet and savory dishes. Our guide, how to shell pecans, discusses a variety of tools and techniques to remove pecan shells and provides a selection of recipes to use pecans in after you do.
  • Pecan Shelling Tips

    1. Choose fresh pecans with smooth shells that don't have any cracks or holes.
    2. Also look for nuts that don't rattle when you shake them.
    3. Prepare pecans for shelling by freezing or soaking them in warm water for 30 minutes.
    4. Consider a handheld, tabletop or electric nutcracker to shell the pecans.
    5. Use a nut pick to lift the pecans from the cracked shells.
    6. Store shelled pecans in the refrigerator for up to nine months or in the freezer up to two years.