Question Macadamia Nuts

[Steve]

At work I have discovered two Macadamia Nut trees within 50 metres of my desk. Score!
Both have heaps of nuts both on the tree and on the ground around them.

So not having had any experience with these nuts before i guess i just want to know if its as simple as cracking these babies and tucking in?

Should I only be eating the ones on the ground or can i take off the tree too? What else do i need to know about finding a 'ripe' nut?

What's your tips for cracking these almost impenetrable morsels?
So far I have tried with ok success with a pair of adjustable pliers to hold the nut and then smashing it with a hammer. Seems to work ok most of the time. Happy to hear better ideas.

 

[Mark]

Macadamia nuts are fine to eat off the ground and if they have come out of the husk but are still on the tree.

However, they do mature and taste better if left dry out a little for several weeks or months.

To get an awesome crunchy macadamia nut dry them artificially in a dehydrator use trial and error but usually about 24 hours.

I'll post a pic and info of the best macadamia nut cracker I have ever used EVER... Tomorrow - still at the footy atm

 

[Mark]

Ok, I've got out my macadamia nut cracker and had a feed of nuts but at the same time I made a video about the device I use so here it is below... Any further questions just fire away and I'll see if I can crack'em for ya.

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[Steve]

Great vid Mark. You are bit of a star!

And that nut cracker is awesome. Have to see about getting one of those. Really appreciate all your advice.
And who was the other star of the vid? The little feller hanging around in the back of the frame?

 

[stevo]

hah, nice video. Looks like the cracker works pretty well.

Steve, yeah the dog is wondering who Mark is talking to

 

[Mark]

Yeah, that's my dog Scooter he's a Border Collie X Jack Russel and he's in most of my videos

I don't know about me a star (that's the overstatement of the year) but talking is sometimes easier than writing so I try my best (I hate seeing myself on video) - I do like making DIY vids and editing movies though.

JFYI, the macadamia nut cracker was $50 from memory and this included 1 bag of premium nuts and 1 bag of medium nuts. If you go to the Caboolture markets on a Sunday you'll see him there - just don't tell him about the video...

 

[steve h]

At work I have discovered two Macadamia Nut trees within 50 metres of my desk. Score!
Both have heaps of nuts both on the tree and on the ground around them.

So not having had any experience with these nuts before i guess i just want to know if its as simple as cracking these babies and tucking in?

Should I only be eating the ones on the ground or can i take off the tree too? What else do i need to know about finding a 'ripe' nut?

What's your tips for cracking these almost impenetrable morsels?
So far I have tried with ok success with a pair of adjustable pliers to hold the nut and then smashing it with a hammer. Seems to work ok most of the time. Happy to hear better ideas.

Steve, they harvest them off the ground with an attachment that looks like an old Bisell carpet sweeper, leave them until the nut dries a bit inside the husk you can hear them rattle, am looking forward to seeing Marks nut cracker, I have a great one there is a macadamia grower that sells at Caboolture markets and the crackers he makes are fantastic, then you just crack and eat or roast them if you want

 

[steve h]

hah, nice video. Looks like the cracker works pretty well.

Steve, yeah the dog is wondering who Mark is talking to

I have the same one, they are the best ever

 

[Mark]

Here's another type of macadamia nut cracker called... wait for it... Maca Craca I love the name. The guy who makes it (well I assume he does) is called Vaughn and he mentioned his invention to me on YouTube so I checked out his video and I reckon it's a pretty good tool for cracking macadamia nuts also (although I haven't tried it personally).

Unlike the macadamia nut cracker I made, the video about the Maca Craca can be purchased on eBay here so this might be a better alternative to buy for those who can't physically get to the Caboolture markets. The cracker looks like a bolt on top of a stainless tube which fits over the macadamia nut and then a hammer is used to hit the top bolt head cracking the nut without the shell flying everywhere - anyway just watch the video and it will be clearer than I can explain.

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