If you need your hazelnuts to last for months, cold storage is best. This is true for both shelled hazelnuts and kernels. Shelled hazelnuts do not require any type of packaging when refrigerated or frozen, the shell protects them quite well. But if you need to store shelled hazelnuts, they need protection.
A hazelnut can last more than a year in the fridge if you keep its shell intact. If you are going to store hazelnut meats, it will only last about a year. In both cases, store the nuts in an airtight container with as little exposure to air as possible. In short, at room temperature, shelled hazelnuts should last at least 6 to 9 months, while shelled hazelnuts should last 3 to 4 months.
How do you know if shelled hazelnuts are bad? Stale hazelnuts often develop a bitter and unpleasant taste; if hazelnuts develop a bad smell or taste, or if mold appears, they should be discarded. Keep shelled hazelnuts fresh by storing them in the refrigerator or in a cool, dark place, such as a basement. Hazelnuts stay fresh in the fridge for up to six months. If you want to store them longer, put them in the freezer, where they will keep their freshness for up to a year.
Roasted hazelnuts don't last as long as regular hazelnuts, but they can last about a year in the freezer and up to six months in the fridge. Traditionally used as an ingredient in decadent desserts, hazelnuts are a delicious addition to savory dishes. Walnuts spoil when exposed to air for too long because they allow natural hazelnut oils to be released into the air. At room temperature, you can expect shelled hazelnuts to last 3 months and shelled walnuts 6 months.
While freezing is the best idea for hazelnuts to last, you need to do a little preparation before doing so. If your hazelnuts taste a little stale and have lost their crunch, you can solve some of those problems by roasting them. You can expect shelled hazelnuts to stay in good quality for at least 6 months at room temperature. That said, it's clear that shelled hazelnuts last longer than shelled ones, no matter how you look at it.
With that in mind, here are some quick and easy ways to keep hazelnuts fresher longer. Hazelnuts are available at most grocery stores in Canada throughout the year and tend to be more popular during the December holidays. When refrigerating or freezing hazelnuts, you'll want to make sure they're in an airtight container or container. For shelled hazelnuts, they should maintain quality for up to 3 months, provided you store them properly (more on this later).
If you are going to buy hazelnuts in shell, you will need a good quality nutcracker to break the shell and remove the nut. When buying shelled hazelnuts, choose those that are slightly heavy and have an intact shell that shines with a dark reddish-brown color. All of these dates are not exactly set in stone; the important thing to remember is to always check the hazelnuts before using them for any signs that they have broken down.
