Shelling hazelnuts

[foodlover]

Is there a quicker way or machine that can be used to shell hazelnuts?

I get about 5 kilos off my bushes each year. I then put them in a clear bag and hit them with a hammer to crack the shells.

This still seem to be a very long process, there must be another way that this is done?

 

[L_B]

That is an interesting question. I have never really thought about it so I am interested in seeing what others have to say.
I have always just did one at a time with a nutcracker which is very time consuming. I never thought of putting them in
a bag and using a hammer. That would be better!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I did at one time hit them with a hammer as well, but it smashed too many nuts and I hated picking them out of the shell remnants.
I went back to a decent nut cracker, picked them more slowly or stored them for longer before cracking and when I sat down at the end of the day, instead of sitting idle hands watching TV, I would sit with 3 bowls and the nut cracker watching TV. 1 bowl for the unshelled nuts, 1 bowl for shells and 1 for nuts. 5kgs is not that much when you are not paying any attention to it spread out over a couple of weeks or so.

 

[Corzhens]

This reminds me of the time when I bought a kilo of hazelnuts after Christmas. My husband used a hammer to crack each nut. When every nut were cracked and cleaned, my husband said that I should never buy hazel nuts with shell because it is very laborious to take off the hard shell. And it's also risky because he might hit his fingers with the hammer. But in fairness to me, that hazel nut with shell costs just a fraction of the clean hazel nuts.

 

[foodlover]

Looks like I am in for a repeat this year. To be honest I didn't mind doing the job, but it certainly does take a lot of time.

 

[Elawin]

I use a nutcracker. More chance of the nut coming out of the shell in one piece. I get several kilos off my tree - that's if the dog and the squirrels don't get to them first. I cracked some the other day for my wild garlic pesto - took a lot longer to skin the ruddy things after!

 

[kgord]

I don't buy hazelnuts in the shell, unless it is something at Christmas time. In fact, they are available here, but not that common. I am not big on shelling anything..because I don't like those little bits of shell that seem to get everywhere. I think hitting them with a hammer is probably your best bet. I remember once I had some black walnuts and they were almost impossible to crack. I tried running them over with the car...and they were still intact!!!! Craziness!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I don't buy hazelnuts in the shell, unless it is something at Christmas time. In fact, they are available here, but not that common. I am not big on shelling anything..because I don't like those little bits of shell that seem to get everywhere. I think hitting them with a hammer is probably your best bet. I remember once I had some black walnuts and they were almost impossible to crack. I tried running them over with the car...and they were still intact!!!! Craziness!

The OP is not buying them in their shell though. They are growing them and they always come in their shells that way!