Best Ways to Store Pecans (2024)

FAQs

Best Ways to Store Pecans? ›

Answer: Keeping your pecans in a tightly sealed bag in a freezer is the optimal way to store pecans. However, refrigerating your pecans will also extend their shelf life.

Want to know the secret to keeping your pecans fresh? It's simple. Just keep your pecans in airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator or freezer. When you are ready to serve, you can bring them up to room temperature or cook with them right away, no thawing necessary.

Sealed plastic bags are best for storing pecans in the freezer. In-shell pecans can be stored in a cool, dry place for 6 to 12 months. They can be refrigerated up to 18 months and frozen for about three years.

In-shell, or shelled stored in a 40° atmosphere should not exceed a 365-day shelf life. When stored in a freezer, keep them no longer than two years. Don't wash pecans. Don't run water over them or even use a damp towel to clean them.

Reducing oxygen exposure is your number one priority. Glass jars that have been vacuum sealed with a food evacuator are the gold standard, says Schaich. The second best: Put your nuts in a resealable plastic bag and press out as much air as possible before sealing, then store the bag in a glass container.

Answer: Absolutely! Freezing your pecans is the best way to store them. You can extend the shelf life of shelled pecans up to 2 years by freezing them. Just make sure that you put them in an air-tight, heavy duty freezer bag.

In-shell pecans can remain good for 4 months at 70°F, but can be stored successfully for 18 months at 32°F to 36°F. Storage life of in-shell nuts may extend to 5 years or more when stored at 0°F (table 1). Burlap bags are satisfactory for holding in-shell pecans if the bags are clean or have been sterilized.

Pecans (and almost any food) can be preserved in Mason jars. This method frees up your freezer space, and there is no freezer burn.

If sealed correctly, nuts can maintain freshness for up to 3 months in this short term storage.

The Best Way to Store Nuts

The refrigerator, yes, but specifically, LaMarita recommends refrigerating nuts in air-tight glass jars. Store any extra nuts in the freezer in the bags they came in, he says. (If you don't have the original bags, consider using a freezer-safe air-tight container instead.)

How to tell if pecans are bad? ›

They should have a firm, almost crunchy texture and a rich golden or amber color. On the flip side, bad pecans may show signs of spoilage, such as a rancid smell, a shriveled appearance, or a soft and rubbery texture. And if you're daring enough to taste some, it's likely a bit bitter and honestly, gross.

Prior to shelling, pecans are moistened with water or steam, which increases the kernel moisture content and reduces kernel breakage during cracking. This process increases the shelling efficiency. Additionally, this step can also make the nut free of health hazardous bacteria.

No, you cannot eat the green nuts that fall off prematurely from the trees as they've still not ripened. Only those nuts that ripen fully by Fall (and hence ready to harvest) are worth eating as they have the rich invigorating flavor you normally associate with nuts.

Nuts should be stored in their own airtight containers, such as glass, ceramic, or sturdy plastic containers. Even freezer bags are a good option. In selecting the container it's important to assess them for their airtightness.

Store Them in Airtight Containers in the Freezer

Because it helps to extend their shelf life, making them last anywhere from six months to over one year! Nuts and seeds, in particular, are full of fats and oils that, while generally considered shelf-stable, are components that have a limited shelf life.

When choosing a container, use one that is airtight. You can use Tupperware, plastic baggies, freezer bags, or even mason jars. Glass and plastic containers are preferred over plastic bags. Since plastic bags are permeable, it is easy for odors to seep into the bag.

Light, oxygen, and heat are the enemies of nuts. Storing them in an airtight container in the freezer helps to limit their exposure to all three of these elements and slow the rate of spoilage.

Use Airtight Containers: When storing pecans, use airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags to minimize exposure to air. Because of their makeup, oxygen can cause the pecans to turn rancid more quickly.

The general rule is that most nuts retain quality for a few months. However, this does not mean that nuts will remain in good condition for an extended period. Shelled nuts stored at room temperature are expected to last six to nine months. Non-shelled nuts will last for four to six months.