Cracking and Shelling Hardshell Almonds

The fall brings us a bounty of nuts in Southern Oregon including walnuts, hazelnuts (our state nut) and almonds. The almond has been classified as one of the world's healthiest foods as it is high in monounsaturated fat, which has been closely associated with reducing the risk of heart disease. Almonds are also high in vitamin E, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals.

The almond is actually related to the peach. A peach pit looks very similar to an unshelled almond. There are several varieties of almonds including bitter and sweet. Bitter almonds can be toxic to humans because they contain six to eight percent hydrogen cyanide (prussic acid). The sale of bitter almonds is prohibited in the United States. Sweet almonds have a pleasant nutty flavor and come in both hardshell and softshell varieties.

Almonds still in their shells have the longest shelf life. If you can find them at the store (sometimes in bulk bins) make sure they have a sweet and nutty smell. If they smell sharp or bitter they have gone bad. Almonds will become rancid if not stored properly. Keep them dry in tightly sealed containers and away from sunlight exposure. Keeping them cold will prolong the freshness and protect them from becoming rancid.

Hardshell almonds are very difficult to crack with a traditional nutcracker. A regular nutcracker is great for a soft shelled nut such as a walnut. Try using one on a hardshelled almond and you'll soon discover why the shells are prized in certain countries for their solidness. They can be coated with a transparent varnish and made into ornaments and small knick knacks. Softshell almonds have a crumbly woven structure and are easily broken by just pressing with ones fingers.

We tested out cracking our home grown hardshell almonds with Reed's Rocket Nut Cracker. It did crack the almond just fine but it took five minutes to pick up all of the pieces of the exploded almond nut and shell. Not very efficient to say the least!

There are commercial almond nut crackers that can handle hardshelled almond varieties but these are very expensive. The easiest way for an individual to crack the shell and get to the prized nut inside is the way it's been done for years. Tools needed are a hammer and a hard surface. Almonds shells have a sharp edge and a round edge. Place the almond shell on the hard surface with the sharp edge up. Gently tap with the hammer progressively harder until the shell begins to crack. If done properly the shell will split into two halves with a snap and the almond nut will be there for the taking. It's easy to get the hang of it after doing a few and it's actually a fun singular or family activity. Almonds right out of the shell are extra healthy and tasty. Enjoy!

Resources:

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Almond