35 top pecan kitchen insights and benefits

Did you know that pecans, despite the fact that we refer to them as nuts, are really classified as a kind of fruit?

• You would not believe it, but the nut that you like the most is not really a nut at all! Pecans are seeds that are found inside a “drupe,” which is a kind of fruit that is characterised by having a pit that encases a seed within a more robust husk. Drupes contain pecans. Hence, pecans may be classified as a kind of fruit.
• The history of pecans may be traced back to the early 16th century; nevertheless, pecans were not cultivated commercially until the 1880s, which is significantly later than the commercialization of other types of nuts! In today’s world, pecans are not only offered salted and roasted, but nuts are also incorporated into a variety of mouth watering baked delicacies.
• Did you know that pecan trees may survive for up to three hundred years if they are properly cared for? Pecan trees are plants that produce nuts every other year, thus it is beneficial for them to have a lengthy lifetime. This indicates that pecan trees only produce a significant number of nuts once every two years rather than more often. The year in between does not have as good of a pecan harvest as the year before or after.
• There is a significant amount of history associated with the origin of the term “pecan.” This term has its roots in Algonquin language and dates back several hundred years. It is of Native American origin. The word “pecan” comes from the indigenous language of Mexico and means “nuts that need a stone to shatter.” This is an apt translation, since pecans are notoriously difficult to extract from their shells.

Pecans nutrition values and health benefits

1. Pecans are an excellent food choice since they include a wide range of vital nutrients. They have a very high fibre content, in addition to other helpful minerals like copper, thiamine, and zinc, all of which are found in quite high concentrations in them.
2. Cobalt is an essential mineral for human health because it plays a role in a wide number of activities, including the formation of red blood cells, the maintenance of a healthy immune system, and the operation of nerve cells.
3. In the meanwhile, thiamine, which is more often referred to as vitamin B1, is necessary for the conversion of carbohydrates into energy that is then utilised by the body to maintain itself.
4. Zinc is an additional vital mineral that may be found in pecans. Pecans are a good source of this nutrient, which is necessary for a number of bodily processes including immune system function, cell formation, brain function, and the healing of wounds, among other things.
5. Pecans, which are known to contain monounsaturated fatty acids, have the potential to contribute to an overall improvement in the health of the heart over time. It is possible that reduced levels of total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and triglycerides are connected with increased intake of tree nuts such as pecans, which are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
6. Some research suggests that eating pecans might help regulate blood sugar levels. This effect may be due, in part, to the high fibre content of the nuts themselves, which pecans have in plenty. In spite of the fact that nuts are mostly made up of insoluble fibre, which does not dissolve in water, there is also a trace quantity of soluble fibre present in nuts.
7. Pecans are an excellent source of several different nutrients, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and research suggests that the consumption of pecans may improve brain function. According to a number of studies, increasing your consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids, in particular, may assist to reduce inflammation as well as prevent the decrease of mental function.
8. Pecans, despite the fact that they have been linked to a variety of potential health benefits, do come with a few potential downsides that you should be aware of.
   • Those who are allergic to tree nuts should avoid consuming tree nuts as well as other types of tree nuts such as almonds, cashews, chestnuts, and walnuts, amongst others. This is the first and most important step in avoiding an allergic reaction.
   • However, bear in mind that they contain a large quantity of calories, with each 1-ounce (28-gram) serving often having more than 200 calories on average.
   • Your daily calorie intake may thus rise if you have more than one serving, which may cause you to gain weight if you do not make any other adjustments to your diet or level of physical activity.
   • As a consequence of this, you need to cut down on your intake, in particular if you are working on reducing the amount of weight you are carrying. In addition, it is best to use natural pecans, which are nuts that have not been processed in any way with sugar or salt.

100g of pecan has 690 calories (2886kj), 9g protein, 72g fat, and 14g carbs, including 10g fibre.

How to store pecans and how to buy them

• Pecans, like all other types of nuts, contain a significant amount of oil derived from plants. Since oil is oil, it has a natural propensity to become rancid when it is subjected to high temperatures or changes in temperature, moisture, or air. This final one is particularly relevant when discussing liquid oils such as olive oil.
• Let us begin with pecans that have not been shelled. These things need to be kept in a location that is both cold and dry, such as a cabinet in the pantry. Since the seed is well protected inside the shell, storing it in the refrigerator is not necessary for at least a few months. If you want to keep the nuts without their shells for more than six months, you should seriously consider putting them in the refrigerator or the freezer. You would get better outcomes if you did it.
• When it comes to pecans that have been removed from their shells, you should never store them at room temperature. The refrigerator is going to be your greatest bet for storing them. If you do not plan on keeping them for more than a year, then putting them in the freezer is probably the best choice.
• You will need to keep the nuts dry by taking the appropriate precautions. If the nut packing has not been opened, the nuts should be stored in the refrigerator in their original packaging. If the package has been opened, the nuts should be transferred to an airtight container or a freezer bag that can be sealed. This will prevent the moisture from accumulating.
• Once again, let us begin with pecans that have not had their shells removed. They can be kept fresh for at least a year in the refrigerator and for at least six months in a pantry without losing their quality. The freezer is the best option for long-term storage.
• The shelf life of pecans that have been shelled is much reduced. They should stay quite fresh for around nine months if stored in the refrigerator. If you need more time, the freezer is the place to store your food.
• Throw away your pecans if:
  1. They have an off flavour. Learn about the symptoms of rancidity by reading the section that came before this one.
  2. The bag is contaminated with mould. While pecans are not particularly susceptible to the development of mould, this does not indicate that the possibility cannot exist. If you see any mould on the nut, you should throw it away.
  3. When we think about pantry pests, our minds often go straight to foods like flour and sugar. But there are plenty of other foods to consider as well. Yet, these insects may also infest nuts. Throw out any pecans that you uncover to have bugs in them, whether they are dead or still living. In addition, clear up the pantry to prevent their further spread.
  4. Again, if you let your pecans remain in storage for an extended period of time, there is a good probability that they may get rancid. The other possibilities are seen far less often.

Cooking techniques, secrets, and tips from the kitchen

1. Pecans have a taste that is unmistakably sweet and buttery, as well as a scent that is subtly flowery and woodsy. The outside of the nut has a little bitter flavour, while the meat on the inside is sugary, buttery, and nearly greasy tasting. The nut kernel may break apart, nearly just as a cookie would. In point of fact, the nut itself has a general sweet flavour, virtually identical to that of cookies or sweets. As you bite down on it, you can feel the rich oils of the nut being released, and the texture is hard but airy and satisfyingly crunchy.
2. Before being used, pecans need to have their shells removed. You may either buy pecans that have already been shelled or use a nutcracker to remove the shell before picking off the flesh. Pecans may either be eaten raw or roasted after they have been removed from their shells. Pecans may be consumed as a snack or integrated into a broad variety of different dishes, and they can be eaten raw or roasted.
3. Pecans that have had their shells removed may be enjoyed as a snack by themselves, raw or toasted, or as an addition to a cheese board or grazing board. They are often included in nut mixtures sold in stores as well as trail mixes. Pecans that have been chopped may be used as a topping for a variety of foods, including salads, pastas, gratins, cheese balls, vegetable dishes, soups, desserts, and more. Apples and pears, as well as other fresh, cooked, or dried fruits, are often served with them.
4. Pecans may be used in baked products either whole, chopped, or crushed; however, pecan halves are often used as a decorative topping for baked goods such as cookies, pies, and cakes. In addition, they may be candied or spiced on their own, or they can be utilised as an ingredient in recipes for candies or chocolate confections. They are also a wonderful addition to ice cream, either as a component of the ice cream itself or as a topping.
5. When are toasted, the nuts’ natural oils are drawn to the surface, which intensifies the nuts’ rich nutty flavour, creates a deeper colour, and makes the nuts crunchier. The procedure is as follows:
   • When you need to toast a large quantity of nuts all at once, the best approach to use is to roast them in the oven. Bring the temperature in the oven up to 350 degrees. A baking sheet should be prepared with parchment paper. This ensures that the nuts roast evenly all the way through without being burned on the bottom. Bake for five to ten minutes, until the nuts have a darker colour and the kitchen has a strong scent of roasted nuts. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and lift the parchment paper containing all of the roasted nuts onto a plate.
   • Little amounts of nuts that will be used in a dish or sprinkled over a salad may be toasted in a pan. Spread the nuts out in a dry pan and cook them over medium heat. Slightly shaking the pan will help spread the nuts out into a single layer. When the nuts have a toasty aroma, toss them to flip them and shake the pan again to get them into an even layer. If you want perfectly roasted nuts on all sides, you should toss and shake the pan three or four times. Next, spread them out to cool on a platter or a cloth.
6. Pecan pie may be the most well-known use of pecans, but this tasty ingredient can be found in a wide variety of other delectable dishes as well, such as crunchy cookies, chicken salad, and crispy fish with a coating. If you cover your salmon in honey mustard and a combination of pecans and panko crumbs, the end result will be a meal that is worthy of being served in a high-end restaurant.
7. A chicken salad is more than just a delectable lunch choice because of the mix of apples, pecans, and dried cranberries. This combination gives the chicken salad a little of nutrition in addition to its crunch and taste. Pecan praline cookies are sugar cookies that have a crumbly texture and a nutty flavour thanks to the addition of chopped pecans.
8. Buttery, nutty pecan pralines flavoured with whisky will take you straight to the French Quarter in New Orleans. This delicacy is almost impossible to say no to. Even traditional maple syrup may be given a new dimension of taste with the addition of butter pecan syrup.

History of pecans from the beginning until today

• Pecans are indigenous to the river basins of Mexico and the central and eastern parts of the United States of America. Indigenous people made extensive use of the meal and even venerated the nut to the point that they utilised it as a sort of payment due to its value. According to one theory, the term comes from the Algonquin language and translates to “all nuts needing a stone to break.”
• Archaeological evidence suggests that people started using pecan trees about 8,000 years ago. This may be determined by looking at the tree’s nuts. In the year 1500, a Spanish adventurer is the one who first documented the history of the pecan tree.
• In 1772, Long Island, New York was the location of the first pecan tree to be planted in the United States. Pecans from the northern range had made their way to the English area of the Atlantic Coast by the late 1700s and were planted in the gardens of easterners like George Washington (1775) and Thomas Jefferson (1779).
• French and Spanish colonists who were settling along the Gulf of Mexico in the late 1770s were the first to recognise the economic possibilities of pecans in this region. By the year 1802, the French were shipping pecans to the West Indies. Nevertheless, it is possible that pecans had been sent to the West Indies and Spain by Spanish colonists in northern Mexico earlier.
• In ads that were published in London in the year 1805, the pecan was referred to as “…a tree meriting attention as a cultivated crop.”
• Even in modern times, pecan trees are still managed and harvested in a more methodical fashion. Pecan cultivation, harvesting, and processing are all more dependable and productive than they have ever been because to developments in agriculture and the introduction of new technologies.
• According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the world is only at the beginning of a surge in the significance of pecans as a crop and commodity because pecans have excellent nutritional benefits, a variety of culinary uses, and an increasing popularity throughout the globe. This nut is a terrific investment option for any agricultural investor due to the present momentum of the pecan industry, as well as continuous research that is driving breakthroughs in pecan production.