Content
Pine nuts are a healthy, nutritious and tasty product that contains a large number of useful elements. Nuts are harvested in the first autumn months. They go on sale peeled, in shells and even in cones. To preserve the beneficial properties for the whole winter, you need to know how to store pine nuts.
Preparing pine nuts for storage
Pine nuts are the culinary name, and in nature they are the seeds of pine pine. The kernels are located in a sturdy shell and are hidden in the bump. Being under such protection, nuts do not lose their aroma and useful properties for several months. The duration of storage of peeled pine seeds, subject to the temperature and humidity conditions, is no more than 2-3 months.
When purchasing taiga nuts, you need to understand how to choose a product and prepare it for long-term storage.
When buying kernels in shell, you need to check them by touch. They should be firm, slightly moisturized with a pleasant fresh scent.
Dry the unpeeled nuts before storing them. To do this, they need to be scattered on a baking sheet covered with paper in a thin layer and removed to a dry place for several days. During the drying process, the nuts are periodically mixed.
When buying peeled nuts, you should give preference to light kernels without foreign smell. A bright yellow color indicates improper and long storage. Such pine nuts will taste bitter and will not benefit the body. If pine nuts are covered with a greenish coating, then this is the first sign of infection with pathogenic bacteria.
Nuts without shells can be stored in an airtight, light-tight container or in a sterilized glass jar.
How to properly store pine nuts
To extend the shelf life of pine seeds, you must adhere to simple rules:
- For storage, the temperature regime is maintained within the range from - 15 ° С to + 20 ° С, provided that there are no differences in values. The shelf life is reduced if the product is dried in the open sun.
- The air humidity should not exceed 70%; at high humidity, the kernels quickly become moldy.
- Processing is a properly selected and prepared product, a guarantee of long-term storage.
- Peeled pine nuts are best kept vacuum packed, paper bags, linen bags, or sealed jars.
How to store pine cones
The taste, aroma and preservation of useful properties depend on the storage rule. The storage technology for pine nuts is simple.
Storing pine cones is not the most popular method, as they take up a lot of space and the seeds quickly lose their flavor and beneficial properties. During storage, pine cones quickly pick up moisture from the air, begin to deteriorate and mold.
But if the task is to preserve the taiga harvest in cones, then they are bought in canvas bags. They should not have mechanical damage and signs of rot. The integrity of the pinecone means the integrity of the seed. The best storage option is a dark, well-ventilated area.Before laying, remove the earth, needles, foliage and lay out several pieces in linen bags. In an apartment, cones can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than six months.
During storage, a periodic inspection is carried out for the presence of white bloom, the appearance of insects and an unpleasant odor. If one of the signs is present, the nuts are thrown away, since instead of good they will harm the body.
How to store peeled pine nuts
Before being sent for storage, unpeeled cedar seeds are carefully sorted out, removing spoiled and in violation of the integrity of the shell.
The prepared product is transferred to an air-permeable bag, glass container, clothes bag and put away in a dark, dry, well-ventilated room. The shelf life of inshell pine nuts depends on the storage method and averages 2-3 months.
How to store pine nuts at home without shells
Peeled seeds retain their flavor and vitamins only when stored properly. Therefore, it is better to purchase nuts in shells and clean them yourself.
To quickly get rid of the shell, you can use trusted methods:
- Soak the seeds in water for a day. The shell softens under the influence of the liquid.
- Pour boiling water over the taiga nuts and leave for 10-15 minutes. After heat treatment, it will become easier to prick the shell.
- To facilitate the removal of the shell, the seeds can be calcined for a couple of minutes in the oven at a temperature of 120 ° C.
- You can also fry the seeds in a hot skillet for a few minutes and immediately submerge them in ice water. From the temperature difference, the shell cracks on its own.
The kernels peeled from the shell are stored only in hermetically sealed containers so that moisture does not get inside. The storage area should be dry and well ventilated. This could be a refrigerator or freezer. With proper storage, the shell-free kernels will not lose their beneficial properties for 3 months.
Where to store peeled pine nuts
For long-term storage, a refrigerator, basement, cellar, freezer or balcony are suitable. The room must be dry and dark. When stored in a basement or cellar, pine nuts must be protected from rodents. To do this, they are placed in an airtight container or removed to a place inaccessible to rodents.
Freezer - Seeds are placed in plastic or plastic bags and stored in the freezer. The kernels retain their taste and aroma throughout the year. The product cannot be re-frozen, therefore it is better to pack them in portions. This method is suitable for storing inshell pine nuts.
The refrigerator is the ideal way to store cleaned seeds. The nuclei are placed in an airtight plastic container, ceramic dish, or glass jar. The selected container should be tightly closed so that the nuts do not gain excess moisture and quickly rot. With this method, the seeds will retain their freshness and useful qualities for 100 days.
Cellar, pantry, basement - in these places, nuts are stored in wooden, cardboard boxes or glass jars. The main storage condition is a dark, dry, well-ventilated area. Properly maintained, pine seeds can last up to 6 months.
How much pine nuts are stored
Due to their mineral composition, taiga seeds have a short shelf life. If the temperature and humidity conditions are not observed, the fats change their qualities and give the product a peculiar bitterness. Signs of a spoiled product include mold, a specific odor, discoloration of the kernel and dark spots on the beans.
Fried kernels do not have a shelf life, since during heat treatment they release oils that, when stored for a long time, give the product a bitter taste. Even if the fried taiga seeds are stored according to all the rules, after a few days they will acquire an unpleasant odor, become bitter and unusable.
Even if after six months the taiga nuts have not lost their appearance and have not acquired a foreign smell, they should not be eaten. Since after three months they begin to lose their useful qualities, and the taste becomes less saturated. Also, after 6 months, bacteria arise in the nuclei that are not visible to the human eye. When using such a product, you can harm your body.
To increase the shelf life and preserve freshness and aroma for a long time, you must follow simple rules:
- It is impossible to purchase peeled kernels by weight, since with prolonged interaction with air, beneficial properties are lost.
- When buying, you need to look at the quality, if the nuts are dry, then the shelf life is overdue.
- Fried kernels are best consumed immediately.
- Use an electric dryer for drying.
- Acquire the amount that can be consumed in a short period of time.
- Since taiga nuts are harvested in September-October, you cannot buy them at the beginning or at the end of summer.
Conclusion
To preserve vitamins and minerals, you need to know how to store pine nuts. If you follow the rules, you can diversify the daily menu, keep the body in good shape and enrich it with useful substances.
