How Long To Soak Black Walnuts

Soaking black walnuts takes about 2 to 4 weeks when you’re removing the hulls, and 10 to 14 days when you’re soaking the nutmeats themselves before eating.
 
If you’ve been wondering how long to soak black walnuts, the answer really depends on which stage of the process you’re in.
 
There are two very different soaks people mean when they ask how long to soak black walnuts, and mixing them up is the fastest way to ruin a batch.
 
One soak softens the green outer hull so you can remove it without staining your hands for a week.
 
The other soak softens the hard inner shell and the nutmeat inside so the nuts are easier to crack and gentler on your teeth.
 
In this post, we’ll break down exactly how long to soak black walnuts for each situation, plus a few tips so the whole process goes smoothly.
 
Let’s get into it.
 

How Long to Soak Black Walnuts for Hulling

When people ask how long to soak black walnuts, they usually mean the hulling stage.
 
The answer is 2 to 4 weeks in a bucket of water, and here’s why that timeframe works:
 

1. The Hull Needs Time to Rot Away

Black walnut hulls are thick, green, and loaded with juglone, a compound that stains everything it touches.
 
Soaking them in water encourages the hull to soften and decompose naturally.
 
After about 2 weeks, the hulls start slipping off easily, and after 4 weeks, most will come away with almost no effort.
 
That’s why when someone asks how long to soak black walnuts for hulling, the honest answer is a few weeks, not a few hours.
 

2. You Change the Water Daily

While your black walnuts soak, you need to dump the water and refill the bucket every single day.
 
This keeps the soak from turning into a smelly, bacteria-filled mess.
 
If you skip a day or two, the nuts can start to mold, which defeats the purpose of soaking them at all.
 
So how long to soak black walnuts really depends on your consistency too, since daily water changes speed up the hulling process.
 

3. You Can Speed It Up Slightly

If you want to shorten how long to soak black walnuts, you can add a little help.
 
Some folks stir the nuts every day with a sturdy stick to knock hulls loose faster.
 
Others spread the soaked nuts on a driveway and run over them with a car tire, which pops the softened hulls right off.
 
Either way, soaking for at least 2 weeks makes the hull removal far easier than picking them fresh.
 

How Long to Soak Black Walnuts Before Eating

Once the hulls are gone and the shells are dry, you’ve got the second soak to think about.
 
This one is about the nutmeats, and it answers a different version of how long to soak black walnuts.
 
Here’s what that soak looks like:
 

1. Soak the Shelled Nuts for 10 to 14 Days

Many people soak the whole nuts in their shells in salted water for 10 to 14 days before cracking them.
 
This softens the shell slightly and pulls some bitterness out of the nutmeat.
 
It also makes the nuts easier to crack without shattering the kernel inside.
 
So if your question is how long to soak black walnuts before cracking, plan on about 2 weeks.
 

2. Soak the Nutmeats for 8 to 12 Hours

If you’ve already cracked the nuts and just want to mellow the flavor, an overnight soak works great.
 
Cover the nutmeats with water or milk and let them sit in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.
 
This is the shortest answer to how long to soak black walnuts, and it’s the one most people use before baking.
 
Just drain them well and pat them dry before tossing them into a recipe.
 

3. Rinse and Dry Completely

After any soak, rinse your black walnuts thoroughly under cool running water.
 
Then spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet or screen to dry.
 
If you skip the drying step, the nuts can mold in storage, and all that soaking time goes to waste.
 
Good airflow for a few days is all you need before storing them in airtight jars.
 

Tips for Soaking Black Walnuts

A few small habits make the whole process easier, no matter which soak you’re doing.
 
Wear gloves when handling hulls, since the stain can linger on your skin for days.
 
Use a bucket you don’t mind ruining, because black walnut juice stains plastic and concrete alike.
 
And keep the bucket outside, since the smell during hulling isn’t exactly pleasant indoors.
 
If you’re soaking nutmeats, store them in the fridge so they don’t spoil overnight.
 

So, How Long to Soak Black Walnuts?

Soaking black walnuts takes 2 to 4 weeks for hulling, 10 to 14 days for whole nuts before cracking, and 8 to 12 hours for shelled nutmeats.
 
Which timeline applies depends entirely on which stage of the process you’re in.
 
Change the water daily during long soaks, rinse and dry thoroughly afterward, and be patient with the process.
 
Hope this post has helped you figure out exactly how long to soak black walnuts, whether you’re hulling a fresh harvest or prepping nutmeats for your favorite recipe.