Well Duh!!.. No wonder why they were so cheap!

[Finding Me]

Now... keep in mind, yesterday was my first time shopping for my new RAW way of living. When coming to the nuts section, I discovered raw, shelled macadamia nuts and raw, unshelled mac nuts. There was a HUGE difference in price per lb. And I mean huge!! And now I see why! How do you get these babies open??

I found an mac nut cracker online for $75!!!

Do any of you buy shelled Mac nuts? Any suggestions for opening? Or do I just need to invest in the opener?

Thanks!

[Sheryl]

I did the numbers once and it works out (in Australia) that after buying about 6 kilos of macadamias shelled, you could have outright BOUGHT a macadamia cracker and the equilivant of 10 kg of shelled nuts (in the shell of course), and be able to forever more buy the cheap ones. It's well worth it.

I LOVE using in shelled nuts because they are way way fresher, and also limiting in the fact that you can't just run and eat 2 cups, you have to work to get them. It improves your relationship with nuts pretty quickly! Fresh pecans in the shell taste COMPLETELY different to the shelled ones (to me anyhow), and sometimes we even get macadamias fresh off the tree before they are dried,a nd they are such a different texture - water rich and more like water chestnuts than a nut. YUMMY!!

Cheers,
Sheryl

[pauliegirl]

I heard somewhere that putting Brazil nuts in the freezer for 24 hours and then cracking them makes it easier. I don't know if it would work with Macadamias.

pauliegirl

[Punky]

Now... keep in mind, yesterday was my first time shopping for my new RAW way of living. When coming to the nuts section, I discovered raw, shelled macadamia nuts and raw, unshelled mac nuts. There was a HUGE difference in price per lb. And I mean huge!! And now I see why! How do you get these babies open??

I found an mac nut cracker online for $75!!!

Do any of you buy shelled Mac nuts? Any suggestions for opening? Or do I just need to invest in the opener?

Thanks!

MAC NUTS are one of the hardest to open. I did buy
a nutcracker at www.rawfood.com esp. for mac nuts.
It was $40 a couple of years ago.
Maybe a hammer would open them. If you plan on eating macs
regularly I do love my nutcracker. Opens them very neatly.

[Punky]

Well I couldn't find it when I searched on www.rawfood.com, so I suppose
they do not sell them anymore.
but I did a search on the web for it. Here's the one I got:

http://www.krakanut.com/

[DavidZaneMason]

My experience:

-I have been buying and shelling fresh Macadamia nuts for some time. You are right - it is MUCH less expensive. The trees actually grow quite well here in South Florida.

-For better or worse Macadamia nuts (like black walnuts or hickory nuts) are tough - and work best with a hammer on bare pavement.

-Each Macadamia nut has its own hollow point (where there is air in the nut). A few taps with a hammer while holding the nut with 2 fingers of the other hand will locate this spot. Then a few good oblique raps with the hammer should crack in the shell - without damaging the nut. It's an acquired skill....but one that can be learned rather easily....with your thumb rapped only a couple of times for your trouble!

-There ARE expensive crackers.....and I'm ordering a small, hand-held one for my mother.....but hey! Let's keep it simple. I'll challange you to a speed contest with my hammer vs. your machine any day of the week! Ha! ha! And the money I save will buy me an additional 10 lbs of Macadamias!

-What do you think?

-In kindness & respect,

-David Mason

[littleangelbear]

I recently bought some macs with shells...they haven't arrived yet...uh oh...didn't realize I would need a special cracker or have to get out the 'tools' LOL...I think I'll stick to the deshelled...Oh man! LOL

[Sheryl]

Using a hammer works... just made sure you're on solid pavement. I knocked some holes in our steps last year using this method!

:)

I like using a maca cracker better!

Cheers,
Sheryl

[dahgluvr]

We have a macadamia nut tree and have a great crop this year....the most I can ever remember. We have a cracker for them, but any reccomendations on shelf life in the shell nuts?

[Sheryl]

For macadamias the commercial growers actually dry the nuts in shell. If not dried the shelf life is low, just a couple of months if you're lucky before they go mouldy. You might want to try sun drying and see how you go with that. The aim is to reduce the humidity below a certain level - I would think get them to look similar to commerical nuts, not the soft nut of fresh macas.

I personally love the soft ones but prying them out of the shell drives me crazy!

Cheers,
Sheryl

[dahgluvr]

Thanks!! I wonder if I can use my dehydrator to do that....

[rawpriestess]

Why not just use a small bench vise? It would be easy to crack the outter shell just enough to crack, and not ruin the nut inside.

And most people have a small vise at home, or you can buy one for about $10

That is how Dragggon cracks our almonds and hazel nuts from our trees, and the brazil nuts we buy.

[dahgluvr]

Rawpriestess...do you dehydrate the nuts from your trees? If so...shelled or unshelled? Thanks!

[Finding Me]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your input!!