Juglans nigra - Natural Uses and Creative Adaptations


Functional Uses

The high amounts of tannin, juglone, and other pigments present in Black Walnut’s fleshy hulls have been used to dye hair, yarn, fabric, and used as an ink for centuries. Tannins are naturally occurring compounds found in varying amounts in many types of plants and can be present in the seeds, bark, wood, leaves, and fruit skins. Tannins are believed to help the plant bind with proteins, minerals, cellulose, and starches. They aid in the resistance of decomposition, water loss, and are believed to be helpful in animal and disease defense. Tannins are present in Walnuts and other consumed plants like wine. Wine made from grapes with a high tannin content are more astringent and dry.

Black Walnut Dye

Here is a simple recipe for making and using Black Walnut dye:

  1. Collect green husks in September/October. Brown husks will also work, but their pigmentation is less concentrated. Husks may also be frozen for later use.
  2. Fill a large pot with hot water, and add the walnut husks. The exact amount of husks isn't an exact science, but a handful or two per every two gallons of water seems about right. Placing the husks in a canvas bag or old pillowcase will facilitate easier removal. The amount of water in the pot should be enough to cover the material that is to be dyed.
  3. Allow the dye to concentrate. Some advocate simmering the husks in very hot water for two or more hours. Other recipes calls for steeping the hulls at room temperature for anywhere between three days to a week. Generally speaking, longer baths will result in darker dyes.
  4. When ready to dye, remove the husks and if necessary, strain the liquid. Meanwhile, in another pot, heat fresh water until it is hot but not boiling. Add to this pot the material (fabric, yarn, etc.) that you wish to dye, and leave it in the hot water for about an hour. This is said to allow the fibers to better soak up the dye.
  5. Return the strained liquid to the pot and heat it until it is also hot but, not boiling. Add the material to be dyed to the pot containing the dye. Keep the dye hot until the desired color is obtained. The longer the material is immersed, the darker the color will be. The material to be dyed should be natural and not synthetic as synthetic materials often will not absorb natural dye.
  6. When the desired color is obtained, remove the material (being careful not to drip dye on unintended areas) and allow to air dry.

Black Walnut Ink

Sketch done using Black Walnut ink

Prior to the invention of the ball point pen, most letters were written with quill, dip or fountain pens. Ink came from a variety of different natural sources, and early colonists soon discovered that a few of the North American plants produced quality ink. An ink derived from the husks of Black Walnuts was of particularly good quality, and is still produced and used to this day. Here is a simple recipe for Black Walnut Ink:

  1. Gather Black Walnuts in the fall. Ink requires approximiately a 5:1 ratio, so making one gallon of ink calls for five gallons of walnuts. As with making dye, the part that it used is the mesocarp or "husk" and not the endocarp "nut," so the nuts can be used in cooking while the husks used for ink and dye. It is said that Black Walnut ink benefits from aging the husks, so after separating the nuts from the husks, the husks can be placed into a bucket or other container and left to age for two months.
  2. After aging the husks, place them into a large pot with just enough water to cover them. Some recipes also call for adding a splash of white vinegar to the mixture. Heat the water and allow the walnuts to simmer for at least several hours. The longer the simmer, the darker the ink will be, and simmering can take as long as two days. Check the color every hour or so.
  3. When the desired color is achieved, strain the ink through a coffee filter and into glass bottles. Denatured alcohol and cloves may be added to guard against mold. Kept in a cool, dark place, the ink should keep for several years.

Culinary Uses

Black walnut seeds are delicious cooked or raw, and compared to English (supermarket) Walnuts, their stronger flavor lends itself to a wide range of culinary uses; particularly cakes, cookies and other desserts. An oil is sometimes produced from pressed seeds and used as a flavoring for breads and other foods, but its popularity is hindered by a relatively short shelf life.

Black Walnuts cleaned and ready for use

Nutrition

Black Walnuts are a superfood. They are packed with nutrients that make them beneficial to human health.

Black Walnut Nutritional Report / Value per 100 g

Nuts

Harvest Walnuts when they look like this
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Drupe

A type of indehiscent, multi-layered fruit that consists of an exocarp (skin), mesocarp (fleshy or pulpy middle layer) and an endocarp (hard, stony “pit”) that encases usually one seed. Supermarket examples of drupes include peaches, cherries, plums and apricots. Indiana native plant examples include the fruit of walnuts, butternuts, hickories, spicebush and black cherries.

Harvesting: Black Walnuts can be quite prolific, and those lucky enough to have access to one of these trees can collect them after they've fallen to the ground and when they are a yellowish-green color. In Indiana, this typically occurs in late September through early October. Alternatively, unripe Black Walnuts can be picked while green and pickled.

Processing: After gathering, the next step is to separate the outer hull (exocarp and mesocarp layers) from the inner "nut" (endocarp). To learn more about these terms, please refer back to our definition of drupes. Removing the hulls is a messy task as the hulls contain a powerful dye that will stain hands, clothing and just about anything else that it comes in contact with. Some people use a hammer to remove the husks, others stomp on them. The practice of driving over them with a car is discouraged as flying nuts can potentially cause property damage.

Once separated from the hulls, the walnuts should be washed (preferably outside to prevent staining) and pieces of hull should be srubbed away. Some sources say to not compost the hulls as they contain the chemical juglone, which will inhibit the growth of many plants. Other sources say that juglone's toxitity will break down after several months of composting. Another option is to save the husks to make Black Walnut dye. Followng the cleaning, the nuts will need to dry or "cure," which allows the flavors to develop. Layer the walnuts no more than two or three layers deep in a ventilated area for about two weeks.

The day before shelling, soak the nuts in hot water, and leave them in the water for 24 hours. The next day, change the water, soak them for another two hours, and then use a hammer or a vice to crack the hard shells. Using a conventional nutcracker on these often results in broken equipment, injured knuckles, and unopened Black Walnuts. After cracking, use a nut pick or similar instrument to scoop out the meat being very careful to remove all traces of shell as they are very hard and sharp.

Storing: If they are not to be used right away, shelled Black Walnuts can be stored for about nine months in the refrigerator or about a year in the freezer. Black Walnuts must be hulled before they are stored otherwise decomposition will negatively impact the nut's meat.

Sap

Black Walnut sap should be collected in late winter and boiled down into syrup using the same process as maple syrup.

Smoking

Black Walnut wood is occassionally used for smoking, but the tendency of the wood to have a strong, pungent flavor requires it to be heavily mixed with wood from milder tasting trees.

Culinary Recipes

Drinks

Nocino

Nocino is an Italian liqeuor that is made from steeping walnuts in liquor that can also be made with American Black Walnuts. Vodka is normally the liquor of choice, but at least one manufacturer uses rum. The following recipe has been adapted from several sources including Amy's Stewart's The Drunken Botanist. Nocino is said to "taste like Christmas," so start it in the summer and enjoy it during the yuletide season.

Pick unripe walnuts in the summer. Wash and quarter the walnuts then place them into a sterile jar along with any spices, cover with the vodka, close the lid, shake and place in a cool dark place for about two months. After two months, in a saucepan, disolve the sugar in a cup of boiling water and stir the mixture into the steeping walnut/vodka mixture. The amount of sugar added is variable according to taste. Stir or shake the mixture well, replace the cap and return it to a cold dark place. Some recipes call for an additional 45 days of storage, others as long as 3-4 months. After the desired time is up, strain the mixture to remove the walnuts and spices, and transfer the completed nocino to a clean bottle.

Appetizers

Black Walnut and Cheddar Pastry Sticks

For the pie crust recipe:

Prehead oven to 350℉

Mix together flour and salt. Gently “cut” or work in the shortening until the mixture is course and about the size of tiny peas. Add the the cheddar cheese, and combine well. Finally, sprinkle the water over the mixture a tablespoon at a time working it in with a fork and using just enough water until the mixture holds itself together when pressed.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about ¼-inch thick. Cut the dough into finger-sized pieces. Beat the egg white together with a tablespoon of water until frothy and brush it over the dough. Place the chopped Black Walnuts onto a cutting board or flat surface and roll the dough strips in the walnuts until coated on all sides and cylindrical.

Place walnut encrusted dough strips on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes until firm and golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks. Serve at room temperature.

Black Walnut Pickles

This is a popular British dish that can be made with the North American Black Walnut. Our recipe has been adapted from several versions.

For the brine:

For the pickling liquid:

Gather unripe nuts in early summer. Pierce each husk several times with a fork. Mix the salt and water to form the brine, place nuts in a suitable sized pot and cover with the brine solution for 8-9 days. Some recipes suggest draining and replacing the brine halfway through.

After brining, remove and rinse the nuts and place them on a baking sheet in the sun for a day, occasionally turning them until they are uniformly black.

Once the nuts are black, they’re ready for pickling. Pack the walnuts into clean, cold quart jars. In a suitable sized stock pot, combine the vinegar with the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the remaining pickling spices and distribute equally over the walnuts. Pour the boiling liquid over the packed walnuts leaving a ½-inch or so headspace. Seal the jars and place them in the refrigerator for about a month or two prior to eating. Pickled nuts will keep for about a year.

Breads

Black Walnut and Raisin Bran Bread

Preheat oven to 325℉

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, eggs and vegetable oil. In a third bowl, combine the molasses with the baking soda. Make a well in the dry ingredient, pour in the molasses mixture and then the milk mixture and gently combine. Pour the batter equally into two greased loaf pans and bake for about an hour. Cool on a wire rack entirely before slicing. Serve with cream cheese or butter.

Black Walnut Soda Bread

Preheat oven to 350℉, and apply oil to the surface of of a cake pan or cast iron skillet.

In a large bowl, mix together the first seven ingredients. Add the butter, eggs and buttermilk and combine well. Scoop the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Cool and serve.

Black Walnut Sweet Potato Bread

Preheat oven to 375℉. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, shortening and sugar. Slowly mix in the eggs and then the mashed yam. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, nutmeg and baking soda and then mix in the chopped Black Walnuts. Combine the contents of both of the bowls and mix together thoroughly. Add the coffee and mix again. Add the batter to 2 well-greased loaf pans and bake for about an hour until bread tests done with a toothpick. Remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly before slicing.

Irve's Black Walnut Bread

Adapted from a recipe by Maple Land Farms and shared by the South Bend Farmer’s Market.

Preheat oven to 375℉. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg with the sugar and milk. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups of the flour along with the baking soda and the salt. Combine the flour mixture with the egg mixture and mix well into a dough. Next, combine the Black Walnuts with the remaining ¾ cup of flour. Add this to the dough and mix well. Scoop the mixture into a greased loaf pan, and bake for approximately one hour.

Soups

Black Walnut Bisque

This recipe appears in a few places. Its exact origin is unknown, but we’ve added our own adaptations to it.

In a large stock pan or Dutch oven, combine the first nine ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Working in small batches, purée in a blender along with the corn oil and miso. Serve hot, garnished with the chives and nutmeg. Makes about 6 servings.

Salads

Black Walnut Chicken Salad with Grapes

Toast the walnuts in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, cool. Blend together chicken, celery, walnuts, onions and grapes. Slowly stir in the mayonnaise until the mixture is coated, but not soggy. Lastly, add the lemon juice and approximately ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper (to taste). Chill mixture and serve on on lettuce as a salad or on bread as a sandwich.

Entrees

Desserts