Cracking Black Walnuts

[pjch...@gmail.com]

I've been thinking of investing in a nutcracker made / sold specifically for black walnuts, since those are so abundant, nutritious, accessible, and often free for the taking (at this point in time—untold tons fall and rot on the ground each season, considered a nuisance by most homeowners—even if squirrels would beg to differ). The problem with "wild" black walnuts is that they're surrounded by an impressively-hard and thick shell which most nutcrackers can't break, or handle poorly at best. There are a lot of claims of "world's best" this or that, and nutcrackers are no exception. I'm trying to sort out the capable from within the many enthusiastic sales pitches found in my research, so I thought I'd share with this group and see if others had experience, (I think Mike talked once of having or getting a nutcracker for black walnuts). Up to this point I've personally used a hammer to crack them against cement or an anvil, with slow and kind of messy results.

An ad in the Northern Nut Growers Association magazine (I was a member for a year but have let it lapse) led me to the Master Nut Cracker (currently $91 with shipping) http://www.masternutcracker.com. This one is made in the USA and gets fairly good reviews, the price is kind of in the middle as far as USA-made, home-use units go. I managed to find what I think is a video of this unit in action, toward the end of this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uD6DA4SE50

On the Michigan Nut Growers' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/147035168841140/, when I'd posted asking for opinions on the Master NC above, a guy said that he'd used the Master Nut Cracker and liked it, but preferred the Mr. HIckory (photo here: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/trees/msg1118581918474.1201222213782.jpg , from this page. No website found, just the contact info for a man named Fred Blankenship, and his phone: (270) 828-6141.

Looking at this page of the Indiana Nut Growers: http://www.nutgrowers.org/QA/nutcrackers.htm , they seem to prefer the Hunt's Black Walnut Cracker (currently $126 w/ shipping, also USA-made): http://iowanutcracker.wix.com/nutcracker-08042011, but they also like the Mr. Hickory, and one called the Kenkel Nut Cracker: ($50-60, I'm assuming this is imported, since it's cheap and sold widely, even at Walmart?) http://www.kenkelnutcracker.com/

I also found The Hard Nuts to Crack cracker (USA-made, $130 w/ shipping), which seems to specialize in Macadamia and Black Walnut, see: http://www.hardnutstocrack.com/ ...the operation looks easy enough, but someone commented on their video that they're not orienting the nuts the right way, which is causing them to kind of shatter across the middle of each "quarter" piece (nut meats are basically in 4 quadrants if bisected horizontally through the middle). This device has an opening that appears to be fixed in width, so I'm not even sure a typical black walnut could fit in there oriented from "point to point"...

Norm and Rita have one that is sold in Lehman's catalog, called simply "Steel Nutcracker" (USA-made, $40 plus shipping), link here: https://www.lehmans.com/p-437-steel-nutcracker.aspx. I saw this one in person and wasn't impressed with the build quality; it was not up to the task of cracking more than a few black walnuts at a time...plus the nut pieces flew everywhere. I'd pass on this one for Juglans nigra.

Lastly among those I've found for non-commercial scale is this Drill Cracker, http://www.lawn-gardening-tools.com/nut-shellers-and-nut-rollers/automatic-walnut-cracker--automatic-walnut-cracker.html. Made in the USA but pretty costly at $450 (and I can't tell, but it appears that you must supply your own drill...seems like the wrong tool for the job, I'd rather see one hooked up to a small stationary electric motor with a belt drive). Interesting concept, something like this on the high end of the home scale would be nice for the group to share locally, but the real commercial models cost from $2,000 - $5,000+, and I'm not sure we have the interest to generate that kind of cash outlay at this point. Maybe something to consider for the future, as we continue work on cooperative local food efforts. These nuts are an excellent perennial source of calories, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and some minerals, as well as having possible use as an oil crop. The flavor is not for everyone, it is distinctive and takes some getting used to.

Sorry if this is overwhelming and confusing, I feel like my head is about to explode trying to take in all of these old-fashioned websites / links / etc.
If anyone has one of these nut crackers, or an altogether different model they like for black walnuts, please feel free to share your experiences!
PJ

[DAVID PETERS]

PJ, a while back Nate Bitely, who works at the store, was telling me how his family did this when he was young. His dad would gather the walnuts and spread them over the driveway. As the cars drove over them and cracked the shells, his mother would then gather them up and remove the nut from the shells. It sounds crude and messy, but apparently they did this for years.

 

Dave

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[gar...@trybalrevival.com]

Dave -- Although I have not tried the driveway trick, I'm pretty this is intended to remove the outer "green" husk. Driving over the raw whole shell removes the outer covering, which saves one's hands from becoming stained (even with thick rubber gloves, the fingers on my right hand were stained for a solid month this fall!) -- but it does not break the "hard nut to crack" which is the inner shell -- seemingly made of some form of iron! ;)

Dale

On Jan 3, 2014, at 11:29 PM, DAVID PETERS <dppp...@msn.com> wrote:

PJ, a while back Nate Bitely, who works at the store, was telling me how his family did this when he was young. His dad would gather the walnuts and spread them over the driveway. As the cars drove over them and cracked the shells, his mother would then gather them up and remove the nut from the shells. It sounds crude and messy, but apparently they did this for years.

 

Dave

----- Original Message -----

From: pjch...@gmail.com

To: vankal-pe...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Friday, January 03, 2014 11:23 PM

Subject: Cracking Black Walnuts

I've been thinking of investing in a nutcracker made / sold specifically for black walnuts, since those are so abundant, nutritious, accessible, and often free for the taking (at this point in time—untold tons fall and rot on the ground each season, considered a nuisance by most homeowners—even if squirrels would beg to differ). The problem with "wild" black walnuts is that they're surrounded by an impressively-hard and thick shell which most nutcrackers can't break, or handle poorly at best. There are a lot of claims of "world's best" this or that, and nutcrackers are no exception. I'm trying to sort out the capable from within the many enthusiastic sales pitches found in my research, so I thought I'd share with this group and see if others had experience, (I think Mike talked once of having or getting a nutcracker for black walnuts). Up to this point I've personally used a hammer to crack them against cement or an anvil, with slow and kind of messy results.

An ad in the Northern Nut Growers Association magazine (I was a member for a year but have let it lapse) led me to the Master Nut Cracker (currently $91 with shipping) http://www.masternutcracker.com. This one is made in the USA and gets fairly good reviews, the price is kind of in the middle as far as USA-made, home-use units go. I managed to find what I think is a video of this unit in action, toward the end of this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uD6DA4SE50

On the Michigan Nut Growers' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/147035168841140/, when I'd posted asking for opinions on the Master NC above, a guy said that he'd used the Master Nut Cracker and liked it, but preferred the Mr. HIckory (photo here: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/trees/msg1118581918474.1201222213782.jpg , from this page. No website found, just the contact info for a man named Fred Blankenship, and his phone: (270) 828-6141.

Looking at this page of the Indiana Nut Growers: http://www.nutgrowers.org/QA/nutcrackers.htm , they seem to prefer the Hunt's Black Walnut Cracker (currently $126 w/ shipping, also USA-made):http://iowanutcracker.wix.com/nutcracker-08042011, but they also like the Mr. Hickory, and one called the Kenkel Nut Cracker: ($50-60, I'm assuming this is imported, since it's cheap and sold widely, even at Walmart?)http://www.kenkelnutcracker.com/

I also found The Hard Nuts to Crack cracker (USA-made, $130 w/ shipping), which seems to specialize in Macadamia and Black Walnut, see: http://www.hardnutstocrack.com/ ...the operation looks easy enough, but someone commented on their video that they're not orienting the nuts the right way, which is causing them to kind of shatter across the middle of each "quarter" piece (nut meats are basically in 4 quadrants if bisected horizontally through the middle). This device has an opening that appears to be fixed in width, so I'm not even sure a typical black walnut could fit in there oriented from "point to point"...

Norm and Rita have one that is sold in Lehman's catalog, called simply "Steel Nutcracker" (USA-made, $40 plus shipping), link here: https://www.lehmans.com/p-437-steel-nutcracker.aspx. I saw this one in person and wasn't impressed with the build quality; it was not up to the task of cracking more than a few black walnuts at a time...plus the nut pieces flew everywhere. I'd pass on this one for Juglans nigra.

Lastly among those I've found for non-commercial scale is this Drill Cracker, http://www.lawn-gardening-tools.com/nut-shellers-and-nut-rollers/automatic-walnut-cracker--automatic-walnut-cracker.html. Made in the USA but pretty costly at $450 (and I can't tell, but it appears that you must supply your own drill...seems like the wrong tool for the job, I'd rather see one hooked up to a small stationary electric motor with a belt drive). Interesting concept, something like this on the high end of the home scale would be nice for the group to share locally, but the real commercial models cost from $2,000 - $5,000+, and I'm not sure we have the interest to generate that kind of cash outlay at this point. Maybe something to consider for the future, as we continue work on cooperative local food efforts. These nuts are an excellent perennial source of calories, omega-3 fatty acids, protein and some minerals, as well as having possible use as an oil crop. The flavor is not for everyone, it is distinctive and takes some getting used to.

Sorry if this is overwhelming and confusing, I feel like my head is about to explode trying to take in all of these old-fashioned websites / links / etc. 
If anyone has one of these nut crackers, or an altogether different model they like for black walnuts, please feel free to share your experiences!
PJ

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[DAVID PETERS]

I think you are right. My memory is getting shaky, but now that you say that, I believe that is what he said. I will have to ask him for a refresher course.

[pjch...@gmail.com]

Well, I haven't ordered anything yet, but after posting on the Mich. Nut Growers' Facebook page, I was referred to the Midwest Wild Edibles FB page to a man named Mike Krebill, who owns nearly a dozen different black walnut crackers. He's actually put together a little paper with his findings, an excerpt of which I'm copying and pasting here for those who aren't on FB:

I own the Kenkel and 10 other black walnut crackers, including the C.E. Potter Black Walnut cracker that many have tried to imitate. My favorite is Hunt’s Black Walnut Nut Cracker from H & C Nut Cracker Company, PO Box 36711, Des Moines, IA 50315. http://iowanutcracker.wix.com/nutcracker-08042011

The (Hunt's) nutcracker has a cam that keeps the nutmeat from being crushed when the lever is pulled. The gray sliding adjuster allows quick adjustment for any size of nut. It can be purchased with a hickory nut adapter, which I recommend. Unlike the Kenkel’s and several other walnut crackers you can buy, this one comes complete with a wooden tray base that won’t slide around when in use. Cost is $106.00 plus $20.00 for shipping & handling, and $8.00 for a hickory nut adapter if you want one. Iowa residents add $6.00 tax. Mastercard & Visa accepted.

My second favorite is an improved version of the venerable C.E. Potter Black Walnut cracker that I bought from D & D Saile, Walnut Cracker, 2340 Louisiana Street, Lawrence, KS 66046. No email, no website. Contact to have a one page flier will be sent to you. Phone: (785) 749 7449. The price of $96 includes freight. If you would like to order, send a check. You’ll need to build your own base or bolt it down to a workbench, but this is made of cast iron and is an attractive unit. It has a shell guard that prevents cracked nuts from being thrown all over the area, unlike the Kenkel.

So for now I'm leaning toward the Hunt's model, with the hickory adapter. Anyone have any words of wisdom before I take the plunge?

Dave and Dale, thanks for your messages, I've got the de-husking part covered, I find it's easiest to just let the fresh green nuts sit for a day or two after falling from the tree, then put them in the driveway and use a log (mushroom-log size, weighing 10lbs or more) to drop down and smash the green husks, which loosen a bit after a day or two. After smashing husks I collect the nuts wearing rubber gloves, dunk them in 5-gallon buckets to rinse and float-test (the floating ones tend to be bad), then spread out for a couple days to dry, somewhere where squirrels can't steal them all away.

Once they're dried, they go in grape lugs or other storage in the basement or porch or somewhere for a few months, after which time they're best for eating and will last for a year or two. Letting them "cure" for a few months lets the nutmeats shrink down a bit so they're easier to remove from the shell, and some say it improves the flavor. I tend not to use nuts whose husks have turned all the way black, this stains the shells and some say taints the flavor of the nutmeat, though they're certainly still edible.

[luckymortal]

Great info, thanks PJ!

I thought I'd share my favorite method for de-husking: stomp n' roll. I've found that by stepping on a nut to crack open the husk, then rolling it under foot in just the right way, you can learn to "roll" them out of the husks pretty quickly and reliably. Don't wear your church shoes. Then I pick them up with rubber gloves and treat as PJ does. I can usually do this once every few days to keep them from building up too much.

Makes a big ol' mess of the lawn.

If you have a bunch of trees, I busting out the fiddle and jug, inviting over some friends and having a good ole time:

http://youtu.be/cs2j8f7H2WY

That should get those nuts hulled for you.

As to which cracker, I was going to order the Hunts, but I was never quite sure.

So, maybe at our next meeting we can have a "Crack Off." Anyone with a black walnut cracker can bring one and we can see how they compare.

[Garden]

Or maybe a few of us can go in on one a have a shared resource? Don't know how practice that is?

Sent from my iPhone

[Josh Shultz]

After watching the video I was thinking that the master nut cracker looks and operates like a poorly made arbor press.  That got me thinking that an arbor press might be a great way to open a black walnut as all you need is enough force to crack the nut in a controlled fashion.  With that in mind I found this http://www.woodcentral.com/woodworking/forum/archives_handtools.pl/bid/3001/md/read/id/145686/sbj/the-ultimate-nutcracker-of-all-times-d/  These can be had for cheap and offer steady operation and controllable force http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-TON-HEAVY-DUTY-ARBOR-PRESS-PRESSES-ASSEMBLY-LEVER-NEW-/350546911170?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item519e395fc2

I was wondering if anyone has tried it or heard of anyone using an arbor press on black walnuts?  I can think of a few other reasons to have an arbor press around so it might even be able to do more than just crack nuts in the off season.  Anyone have one to try with?  I have a whole bag of black walnuts de-husked (for planting) that I could spare a few of to test.  

Joshua

--

Joshua Shultz

Cedar Creek Permaculture

2105 Pifer Rd.

Delton, MI 49046

269.331.0461

CedarCreekPermaculture@gmail.com

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
— Mahatma Gandhi

[Paul VandenBosch]

I use a vice in the garage.  I put the nut in the end of the vice and hold my hand over the nut to stop bits of the shell from flying around.  They do anyway.  Usually you have to crack the nut in half, then crack each half again to get the meat out.  It is a lot of work but the meat tastes very good.  It has a winey taste to it that I like a lot.

Cleaning the hulls is very messy.  I let them get a little soft.  I clamp a machete to a sawhorse and wearing heavy rubber gloves, roll the nut over the blade to split the hull, then twist and remove the hull.  I don't compost the hulls, I throw them away, because they are very, very messy.  I put the nuts with hull debris on them into a pail with water, and then run a paint stirrer on a hand drill for a couple of minutes, which cleans them up nicely.  Be aware that the result will be a foamy nasty green liquid which stains.  I generally pour it under the tree that the walnuts came from.

After that, put the nuts on screens in the garage and blow a fan on them for a few days.  

Black Walnuts are a lot of work but the flavor is quite nice so I think it is worth it. 

[voyag...@gmail.com]

I have another type of walnut and tried lots of stuff over the years to crack them. About 6 or 7 years ago I came across the Kenkel and picked it up on a trip to the US. (I don't have black walnuts where I live in Europe.) I made a wooden mount for the Kenkel that lets me crack a lot of nuts fast and with very good results. My solution to the nutshell bits flying around has been to do the cracking where it doesn't matter and where the sweep up is easiest. You can see my setup by using this link:     

On Sunday, January 26, 2014 5:08:17 PM UTC+1, Paul VandenBosch wrote:

I use a vice in the garage.  I put the nut in the end of the vice and hold my hand over the nut to stop bits of the shell from flying around.  They do anyway.  Usually you have to crack the nut in half, then crack each half again to get the meat out.  It is a lot of work but the meat tastes very good.  It has a winey taste to it that I like a lot.

Cleaning the hulls is very messy.  I let them get a little soft.  I clamp a machete to a sawhorse and wearing heavy rubber gloves, roll the nut over the blade to split the hull, then twist and remove the hull.  I don't compost the hulls, I throw them away, because they are very, very messy.  I put the nuts with hull debris on them into a pail with water, and then run a paint stirrer on a hand drill for a couple of minutes, which cleans them up nicely.  Be aware that the result will be a foamy nasty green liquid which stains.  I generally pour it under the tree that the walnuts came from.

After that, put the nuts on screens in the garage and blow a fan on them for a few days.  https://vimeo.com/81421450    

[Marilyn Oborny]

Your post prompted me to check out the Hunts Black Walnut Cracker. Unfortunately, the price has changed considerably. The current price is $140 plus $25 S&H