I have Spivey blood in me, too. My grandmother’s family were from western North Carolina and some are still in north Georgia (including a cousin named Debbie!)

I look forward to trying this boiling water method and seeing the rest of your site. Thanks!

Hi there! First, welcome to Texas and congratulations on those beautiful pecan trees. What a gift to have right in your own backyard. They can definitely be a little messy, but the reward of fresh pecans makes it all worth it.

The nuts that fall to the ground naturally are usually ready to harvest. A good pecan will have the green husk that turns black (called the shuck) split open, revealing the shell inside. You’ll want to remove that outer husk if it hasn’t already fallen off. It can usually be peeled away by hand or with a little twist. If the husk is stubborn and still green, that nut may not be fully mature yet.
Once you’ve gathered your pecans, it’s a good idea to let them dry (or “cure”) in a well-ventilated area for a couple of weeks. Spread them out in a single layer somewhere cool and dry, like in a garage or on a porch out of direct sun. This helps bring out the best flavor and makes them easier to crack.
After curing, you can test a few by cracking them open. Good pecans will have plump, golden kernels. If they look shriveled, dark, or have an off smell, those aren’t good for eating. Then simply use the method I spoke about in this article to help you crack the pecans. If you do a few without boiling them, you’ll understand why I recommend this method.
Wishing you lots of joy (and plenty of pecan pies!) in your new Texas home.

Debbie — The Mountain Kitchen

That’s great, Wendy! Enjoy the pecans!

Hi Renee! It’s best to work in small batches. As the pecans cool, they tend to swell back up inside the shell. Enjoy all of those pecans. Super jealous! 🙂

Hi Irmen! This is a trick my grandmother used to do when cracking her pecans. Glad I can pass this technique around the world!

So glad I could help you out, Sara. 🙂

My pleasure!

Hi Debbie! Nice to “meet” you! Boiling them will make them soft enough to release from the shell for only about 10 minutes after. If you have more than you need to shell, I think they would be ok cooled and stored again, though it may make them spoil faster. I’m not sure. My suggestion is to try hard and only boil what you need or want to shell. I hope this helps answer your question. Best, Debbie

Hi Samantha! The outer husk should have opened up and dropped the actual pecan out. Usually, this means there was a problem with ripening and they may not be worth eating. Not sure if boiling them with the outer shell will help them come off or not, but it would be worth a shot to find out whether they are worth eating or not. Might save you some work. Good luck!

Hi Heather! They will be softer to crack by hand but if you have a lot I highly recommend a nut cracker so his hands won’t get sore. So glad I could help you crack them whole!

Hi Matt! You’re so lucky to have access to fresh pecan trees. One of 4 trees survived the east coast hurricanes over the past 40 years. The one just doesn’t produce like it used to. I’ve not experimented with coatings for pecans because they are expensive. I’m sure there are some great recipes you can find out there on the internet. Thanks for stopping!