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Pecans can lend a burst of rich, sweet and buttery flavor to raw recipes… or even cooked dishes if that is your thing. Their big size and meaty texture make them the perfect nut for spiced nuts (great snack), and they’re delicious in green salads (great texture against the lettuce.)
Always look for plump pecans that are uniform in color and size. I know many people are in favor of purchasing nuts and seeds from bulk bins, but personally, I am not a fan. You have no idea how long they have been there. They might not be fresh or free of molds since they have been constantly exposed to air and fingers of the passing by taste-testers…. you know who you are. hehe
The fiber contained in pecans promotes colon health and facilitates regular bowel movements. It enables the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency by cleaning out the gastrointestinal system. When things are “running smoothly” it prevents constipation and hemorrhoids. I know, I am getting edgy here, I said the “H” word!
If you struggle with constipation, it can be brought on by endless possibilities. I am not here to say that pecans will rid you of this issue, but enjoying them can’t hurt anything, can it? I suppose if you have GI issues such as diverticulitis… and that my friends are a whole other mixed bag of nuts. I have done quite a bit of reading and the verdict is still out if nuts/seeds aggravate the situation. The bottom line is that decisions about diet should be made based on what works best for you.
Ingredients:Soaking:
Oven method: (no longer raw)
If you are unable to dry the nuts or seeds, it is best to only soak an amount that you can be sure will used within two or three days. As with any live food, mold tends to set in within days if you’re not careful. They will need to be stored in water, sealed tight and placed in the fridge. It is important to rinse them twice a day with fresh water.
I am grateful for the resources you provide through the research and testing you have done and that you so graciously share.
I purchased almonds and pecans in bulk (30-50# each) and will begin soaking them tonight so I can dehydrate and store them. I anticipate that I have enough nuts to last one year. Therefore, I need them to last longer than a month stored in mason jars in the pantry, and I do not begin to have enough fridge or freezer space for that many nuts. Can I throw an oxygen pack into each jar (or plastic bag if that’s a better option) before tightening the lid? Will they keep for a year stored on a shelf that way?
***Just think you should know, there is a “right answer” to this question:) I’ve got my fingers crossed that this will work!!! If not, what other suggestions can you offer?
Good evening Beth,
Thank you Beth and on the same note.. you are welcome. :)
Looks like you made a good investment in some nuts. hehe I find mason jars better for freshness rather than plastic bags. Unless you have a food sealer which would help remove all the air to help extend the shelf life.
Keep what you plan on using within a month in the pantry… and the rest between the fridge or freezer for ultimate freshness. I am sure they would last longer in the pantry but raw nuts are not cheap so you want to protect your investment the best that you can.
Desiccants will help for sure. I recommend these:https://nouveauraw.com/equipment/storage-containers/100cc-oxygen-absorbers-for-dehydrated-food-and-emergency-long-term-food-storage-package-of-100/
They have a chart that will tell how many you will need based on the volume you are storing. Keep the jar as full as possible with those packages and keep it sealed shut so humidity doesn’t get in.
Let me know if you have any more questions. I hope this was helpful. Blessings, amie sue
Can pecans be dryed with a candy coating? I want to candy them then dry them in a dehydrator. Can you recomend a recipe?
Good day Beth,
I know what candy coating is in the traditional sense, so not sure if you are referring to that, but I have a recipe where I coat walnuts. You could that recipe with any nut. https://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipes/sweet-treats/candied-walnuts/
I hope this helps, blessings, amie sue
I have soaked and rehydrated my walnuts but they are rubbery like when broken and the meat is not white. I am drying them again but I don’t know how they are to look inside after the soaking and drying.
Hello Patricia,
Thanks for reaching out. First off, they shouldn’t be rubbery, sounds like they aren’t done drying. When dried they should snap with ease and have an audible snapping sound. The inside is a whitish, creamy color.
I hope that helps, blessings, amie sue
Hi. For a newbie this article isn’t clear if and when the nuts have their nut shell on or off. I’m sure this could make a huge difference. Please let me know or update because your information in wonderful and I’d like to follow your directions.
Thank you.
Good evening Nancy,
It is with the shell off… it actually says “shelled” within the ingredients. blessings, amie sue
I like kettle corn popcorn. So I thought I would soak my pecans in a solution of melted sugar and salt then toast.
Also sea salt and vinegar. Again soak in the brine and toast.
Does any of this make sense? Help!!
Hello John,
I have a recipe for Candied Walnuts… check it out and see what you think. Just substitute the walnuts for pecans. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can toast them in the oven. https://nouveauraw.com/sweet-treats/candied-walnuts/
For the Salt and Vinegar variety maybe try the following:
Ingredients
200 g pecans
200 ml white wine vinegar
1 tsp oil
1 tsp sea salt
Preparation
Place the pecans in enough white wine vinegar to cover them.
Soak for a couple of hours, drain, pat dry, and toss with oil and sea salt.
Spread out on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes. Stir halfway, until golden brown.
Sprinkle with a little more salt and leave to cool.
Hope this gives you some ideas to work with. amie sue
Do organic chopped pecans require the same attention?
Thank you,
– Jeff
Good day Jeff,
Yes, I soak and dehydrate ALL nuts and seeds, whole or if in pieces. Cutting them doesn’t reduce the phytic acid/enzyme inhibitors, it’s the soaking process. blessings, amie sue
Do you need to dehydrate or roast nuts after if your baking them in a pie?
That’s a great question, Gage. Unfortunately, I’ve don’t have experience with this…. but if it were me, I would dry them to bring out the flavor and texture. blessings, amie sue
I boiled some Mayhan pecans for 8 minutes, cracked them, and now they need dried but not dehydrated to make them crisp and not rubbery. Can you do this in the oven or microwave?
Good morning Joan,
You can dry the pecans in the oven, I have that option listed in the directions section of this post. I hope you find it helpful. blessings, amie sue
I am going to try this with peacans but I have read that with walnuts you can slow roast them for up to 24hrs at temp. of 175 F. Would that timespan and temp work on peacans?
Good day Jen,
I haven’t tested using this time frame and temp myself but I would follow the same guidelines as you had read about doing walnuts at that time and temp. Regardless of what nut you using with this technique make sure you keep an eye on them and test them along the process. Ovens often run hotter or cooler than others and the number of nuts you are drying can create time differences.
Good luck and many blessings, amie sue
Hi there! I just soaked my pecans for almost 24 hours in the fridge and forgot to change the water! Will this cause any issues and is there anything I can do to fix it?
Thank you!
Good morning Sea,
The best thing you can do is remove them from the fridge, strain and rinse the pecans, smell them and if they smell ok, taste one. They should be ok. If they taste off then you might want to toss them. There isn’t anything you can do now to reverse the situation.
Best of luck! amie sue
Where can i buy good pecans to make my own meal?
Hello Linda,
You can search online. There are a lot of great options out there these days. I order mine through AzureStandard. The main thing to look for is raw and organic if possible! blessings, amie sue
I soaked, rinsed and dried my pecans then spread them on a large cookie sheet at the recommended temp (watching the oven thermometer). Some would give me a snap, but not all. It seemed to be about 60/40 dried. I decided to grind them up into meal and spread it out in single layers in my dehydrator set at 115°. I kept checking to see if the larger chunks were hard and crumbled about every 6hrs and couldn’t really tell much difference. I let it go for about 12hrs straight, total.
My question is, when dehydrating as meal, is it supposed to still feel greasy/able to clump or dry and crumbly – easily falling off your hand- not leaving much oil on your hands? Did I screw it up by grinding them up into meal before they were totally dehydrated? 🤦♀️🥴
Ps; Love your blog, all the recipes and advice! Thank you! Also, you have such a great sense of humor! 😂 Really enjoy reading every blog!
Good afternoon Ruby,
First off, thank you for all the kind words. I am grateful that you are enjoying my site. :)
Now, let’s talk pecans. Here a few thoughts about all the pecans not drying roughly around the same time. Did you stir them throughout the “drying” process in the oven? If not, that would do that because your oven may have hot spots, and stirring them would help all sides to receive some heat. Also, I was a bit unsure if you are doing all this in an oven or if you indeed have a dehydrator. If you have a dehydrator, I would rather use that than the oven. But easier to control and you can basically let them dry unattended.
Nuts in general are high in fat and as they can release their natural oils, especially when grinding them down. Pecans being the highest. If keep on blending (breaking the up) they can turn to nut butter because those oils come out. I would always make sure the nuts are dried before breaking them down into a “meal” or “flour”.
With what you created, I would keep it in the fridge or freezer to it doesn’t go rancid. And next time, if using the oven to dry them, try stirring them from time to time and even rotate the cookie sheet.
Pecans: Around 20 grams of fat per ounce
Almonds: 14.2 grams of fat per ounce
Cashews: 13.1 grams of fat per ounce
Brazil nuts: 19 grams of fat per ounce
Hazelnuts: 17.2 grams of fat per ounce
Walnuts: 18.5 grams of fat per ounce
I hope this helps. blessings, amie sue