Brazil Nuts

[Peter Thatch]

When i crack a brazil nut i get loads of bits of nut. How do comercial Brazil Nut supliers crack them to get a full unblemished nut ?

[Robert G]

I think you may need to ask the colonel.

[pagey]

I would imagine they would crush it, but limit the crushing device so it didnt close all the way like a hand-cracker does. When you are applying a lot of force to crack the shell, you cannot stop your hand from squeezing as soon as the shell cracks so you end up crushing the nut as well. Try putting another nut or other hard object between the handles of the cracker so it only closes partially. Watch you don't pinch your hand though!

[Peter Thatch]

Robert G.... Ho. Ho !!.

Pagey. it cant be that simple, these people do millions of the ******* day in day out, they must freeze them or heat treat them or something ? Or they have really great machines, however i think i should go out and get myself a life, but thanks for your help.

[ermintrude35]

...I thought everybody knew that they used specially trained squirrels , they can spot the bad nuts real easy too....

[qapmoc]

Brazil nuts are harvested from wild trees growing in the Amazon River basin. Due to plant culture difficulties, there are very few brazil nut plantations.

The brazil nuts sold for export to the U.S. and other countries are brought to packing houses in Brazil. There the in-shell nuts are dried in automatic dryers to produce a moisture content of 11% (in-shell) or 6% (shelled), for shipment.

Nuts are shelled by soaking in water (salt water, usually) for 24 hours, then the nuts are boiled for 5 minutes. The boiling softens the shell, and makes cracking (by hand or machine) much easier. Nuts that are to be sold as blanched or sliced nuts, may be boiled again, before blanching and/or slicing.

Remarks: The heat from boiling will kill the nut and remove its viability. Shelled nuts are not sproutable.

Recommendations: shelled nuts are devitalized. Buy only in-shell, and shell manually (a tedious and difficult process) as needed.