Is it possible to ripen or otherwise use these hazelnuts?

[DocG]

Hi,

Advice needed, please.

I've been out this fine day to a riverbank I found about a month ago that's blessed with an abundance of hazelnuts.

They're not brown yet, but most are red on at least one side.



Can I ripen them at home? How should I attempt it? Do I need to remove any of the "bits" still attached (sorry if that was too technical)? How should I store any successes?

Currently they're in a mesh bag awaiting further developments.

Any advice gratefully received.

All the best.

 

[bushwacker bob]

They are ripe, the shell goes brown as they dry out.

 

[Lars The Dane]

fresh hazelnuts are delicious and seasonal...so i recommend you eat thoose right away....you can get dried nuts all year round, but this time of year is special, so enjoy them while you can

 

[ozzy1977]

Crack a couple and try them.

 

[DocG]

Thanks to all so far.

I have enjoyed some nuts and will eat more.

I would like to try to keep some nuts so they can be eaten at Christmas along with other foods I've foraged and stored. I suppose I'm planning to develop a bit of an "old fashioned" element to this year's holiday.

If anyone can offer real world storage/ripening advice, I'd be grateful. Some food magazine-type solutions seem to need lots of kit and time, both of which are, unfortunately, limited at present.

All the best.

 

[slowworm]

I've tried a few methods over the years and I've found you need to remove the husk, dry on a tray very well before putting the nuts in a paper bag or card box. If you leave the husks on and/or don't dry they'll go moldy. I've had best results when the nuts are ripe, i.e. most of them virtually fall out of the husk.

When you crack a dried nut the kernels can be quite shriveled, especially after several months, and as I tend to use them for cooking I pop them in a pan with a dash of water and boil for a minute or two. They swell up nicely and taste a bit like a cooked chestnut/hazelnut.

 

[xylaria]

The only way I have kept them long term is make hazelnut butter. Every other method has made for moldy nuts. I am going to try freezing them this year.

 

[DocG]

Thanks for the info. I'd not come across the soaking point.

All the best.

 

[DocG]

Interesting idea about freezing. If I can get to the trees again soon, I plan to gather a skookum amount so I'll be able to try different approaches.

Thanks again.

All the best.

 

[slowworm]

I've just shelled some from last years harvest, not moldy and still usable. Drying is the key I think and then keeping them somewhere fairly dry.

 

[xylaria]

I've just shelled some from last years harvest, not moldy and still usable. Drying is the key I think and then keeping them somewhere fairly dry.

When I lived in house with central heating they would keep until christmas.