The population of Siberia is well acquainted with such a food product as pine nuts. They not only possess a vast amount of nutrients and elements, but also truly delicious!
The composition of such nuts contains an extremely huge number of polyunsaturated fatty acids that protect the human body from diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as improve sleep and the general composition of blood.
To store such a product, it is important to organize the appropriate conditions, the organization of which we will discuss further.
Storage rules for pine nuts of different processing
To organize the storage of pine nuts, you must consider their variety. The following exist:
• peeled unroasted nuts;
• peeled roasted nuts;
• untreated, in cones;
• unpeeled, located in the shell.
At the same time, the answer to the question of how to store pine nuts at home will depend on the corresponding variety.
Preparing to store pine nuts
Before organizing the storage of pine nuts, you should prepare them for this procedure. First, the nuts are dried according to the following algorithm:
• sprinkle nuts with a sufficiently thin layer on a tarp or baking sheet;
• put in a warm place with low humidity;
• wait a few days.
The pine nuts can be dried in specialized dryers. At the same time, it is necessary not to overdry the nuts, because overdried ones are stored as poorly as wet ones. Therefore, in order to avoid this, the nuts must be mixed during drying while controlling the entire drying process.
Pine Nuts Storage - Peeled and Raw
Pine nuts of this variety can be stored in two ways:
• by placing them in the refrigerator;
• by storing them in the freezer.
In the first method, you must:
• put pine nuts in a glass jar;
• cover the product in such a way as to prevent nuts from absorbing odors and, at the same time, not allowing them to suffocate;
• refrigerate.
It is possible to store nuts in this way for about 3 months.
If, when answering the question of how to store pine nuts at home, a freezer was chosen, then it should:
• place the product in a plastic bag, which is intended for freezing;
• tightly close the bag;
• refrigerate inside the freezer.
The shelf life in this case will be about six months.
How to store pine nuts at home that are peeled and fried
Unfortunately, storing them for a long time is not possible. It is recommended to use the product in this form for a maximum of three days.
Long-term storage is not allowed due to the large amount of oil in the pine nuts, which becomes rancid.
Storage of pine cones in cones
The method of storing pine nuts in cones did not gain significant popularity, first of all, due to the sufficient short duration. Nuts are thus stored very little, at the same time losing their taste and beneficial properties.
Nevertheless, if it becomes necessary to store pine nuts in this way, it should:
• place nuts in a canvas bag;
• transfer the bag to a dark and cool room;
• hang the bag from the ceiling to block access to rodents.
Important! The room should not have high relative humidity! Otherwise, product mold may occur!
How to store pine nuts at home if they are in the shell
So, how to store pine nuts at home, if they are located in the shell? A process can be organized in three ways:
• in canvas bags;
• in specialized plastic bags with a gas-permeable membrane;
• in a refrigerator.
Storage in canvas bags is carried out in the same manner as for pine cones.
If plastic bags were chosen, then the storage time cannot exceed three months. The quality of nuts in this case should be constantly checked.
Finally, the nuts in the shell can be stored, as well as the peeled raw ones, in the refrigerator. The procedure is the same - the product is placed in a glass jar and covered with a lid.
So, knowledge of the basics of storage of pine nuts is the key to maintaining such beneficial and taste properties for a long period of time.
There are many aspects to consider, such as room temperature and relative humidity — otherwise, pine nuts will quickly go bad.
