Brazil Nuts | Soaking and Drying
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Did you know that the Brazil nut is a seed? They come packaged in a pod that is prickly, and each one weighs around two to four pounds. When the pod is split open, 12 to 24 Brazil nuts are packed together. Each nut is, in turn, encased within its own thick dark-brown color individual shell. Talk about a coat of armor!
Brazil nuts feature a three-sided shape with sweet, nutty-flavored white meat. They are known for their hefty amount of selenium; in fact, they have more selenium than any other nut… about 2,500 times as much! Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage by free radicals, supports thyroid health, protects the immune system against infection, and may reduce joint inflammation.
This next bit of info was a bit of a shocker to me; you better sit down for this one… Brazil nuts are considered a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids.
To soak or not to soak… there seem to be some conflicting answers to the question throughout the Internet. If you do your own Google research, you find that the majority of sites talk about soaking Brazil nuts. But there is a percentage that says not to. So what does one do!?
They do have a high amount of phytic acid in them, which makes it hard for digestion, so I am going to go with my gut on this one (pun intended) and soak them. Removing any little bit is a win in my book. Both Bob and I have noticed a big difference in how our stomachs feel after we eat nuts/seeds /grains that have been soaked and dehydrated.
Due to their high-fat content, they are prone to rancidity, so store them in the fridge or freezer if you plan to keep them around for a while. Fresh Brazil nuts are supposed to be ivory-white, if they have turned yellow, don’t eat them.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups raw Brazil nuts, shelled
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 6 cups water
Preparation:
Soaking:
- Place the Brazil nuts and salt in a large bowl along with the water.
- Leave them on the counter for 8-12 hours.
- Cover with a clean cloth and lay it over the bowl, this allows the contents of the bowl to breathe.
- Discard the nuts that float to the top, as they are likely to have some rancidity.
- After soaking, rinse thoroughly, and discard the water.
Dehydrator method:
- Spread the Brazil nuts on the mesh sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
- Keep them in a single layer and dry them at 115 degrees (F) until they are thoroughly dry and crisp.
- Make sure they are completely dry. If not, they could mold, plus they won’t have that crunchy, yummy texture you expect from nuts and seeds.
- The dry time will vary due to the machine you own, the type of climate you live in, and how full your dehydrator is when drying them.
- Expect anywhere from 12 + hours.
- Allow them to cool to room temperature before storing.
- Store in airtight containers such as mason jars. If you plan on using them within 3 months, you can store them in the fridge: anything longer, store in the freezer.
- I like to do a lot of nuts and seeds in a big batch to save time and energy when using my dehydrator. This way, I always have adequately prepared nuts and seeds on hand for snacks, salads, and recipes.
Oven method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Spread the Brazil nuts on an ungreased cookie sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Don’t leave them unattended, due to their high oil content; they will continue to roast after you remove them from the oven.
- When toasted correctly, they taste toasted, not bitter or burnt.
- Cut one in half; they should be an even pale brown color throughout the nut.
- Cool for about 1 hour. Make sure that they are cool before storing them.
- Note ~ You can also attempt to dry them in the oven and keep them raw, but this is tricky. You will need to set the oven on the lowest setting, keep the door ajar and hang a thermometer in the oven to watch the temperature. Nothing is impossible. With this method… good luck and do your best. :)
© AmieSue.com
I have tried soaking my nuts with salt, but I tend to like them better without. Can you tell me if the salt is a MUST?
Nothing is a “must” Kiki. :) It just depends on what your goals are. The salt helps to de-activate the enzyme inhibitors. Do you rinse the salty water off of them before drying them? If not, I recommend doing that. Have a wonderful evening, amie sue
Wow, thanks for that bit of info. I will try it again with the salt, and now I know to rinse them=))). Your photos look better than cooked food…lol. I just can’t get over how beautiful everything looks, and I’m willing to say that nothing on the entire internet tops your website. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful art/creations.
Awe thanks Kiki… you are so sweet. Sending you a virtual hug! Have a blessed day :) and thank you for brighting mine! amie sue
Hi. I accidentally soaked my brazil nuts without water. What should I do? I have rinsed the nuts. Should I soak again with salt?
Good morning Charity,
I would just move on to the next step… you will remember next time. ;)
Hi there I took some cashews out of the freezer to soak them and some of them floated to the top. Does this mean they’re rancid?
Generally that could be the issue, so better to error on the side of caution Alicia. :)
I didn’t know about the floaters..Im so glad that I came across this site…
Hi Amie-sue I often look at your site and was searching to see what was said about soaking brazils. I haven’t in the past but I’m now used to soaking everything so wanted to know how long. I am going make some brazil butter to then make some Raw Brazil Nut Coconut Cacao Cups which sound very yummy. Your info was interesting. I didn’t know about the full protein. I usually eat them for the selenium and cos they taste good of course. Actually I was amazed at how they grow as well. I had read somewhere that heat is used to extract the seeds so they are not completely raw. But I’m not that much of a purest :) Enough babbling. I make my cashew cheese from your recipe and learnt and love dehydrating to get the rind. Even my dairy eating friends love it. My other favourite is the walnut ‘meat’ tacos. Thank you. xx
Thank you so much for sharing Daryl. :) There is always so much to learn! I too enjoy dehydrating my nut cheeses to get a rid…that is my favorite way to present it. I have used brazil nuts instead of cashews in the cheese and they work well too. I am so happy that you are enjoying many of the recipes on my site. May you continue to find inspiration. Blessings, amie sue
Do you have dry them in the oven? Is it all right just to let them air dry?
Hello Kathleen,
I wouldn’t let them just air dry, it would take too long and they will most likely spoil. I would either use the oven or a dehydrator. blessings, amie sue
Very interesting.
This is by far the most interesting n informative site we’v researched for soaking n drying nuts n seeds! 👏👍⭐️Thank U AmieSue 👍⭐️👏
Thank you Jamie. I appreciate the feedback! Enjoy the site. blessings, amie sue