Cracking sunflower seeds in your teeth and spitting out the hulls might be fun at an outdoor event, but it will not work if you need the kernels for a recipe. Aside from paying extra to buy shelled sunflower seeds from the store, you can use items in your kitchen drawer to shell the seeds–either raw or roasted–quickly and easily.
Fill a plastic bag with no more than ½ cup of sunflower seeds so the seeds lie in a single layer when the bag sits on its side.
Seal the bag and gently roll the rolling pin over the seeds to crack the hulls.
Empty the contents of the plastic bag into a bowl of water so the hulls (shells) rise to the top and the kernels sink to the bottom.
Pour the remaining water and sunflower seed kernels into a colander to drain the water away. The kernels are now ready to be eaten or used in cooking or baking.
I found if you pick out two of the most hardest shells you can place them between your thumb and middle finger and use them to pinch the other seeds. By doing this you make a crack or slit in the seed and once you have done a pile of cracked seeds you can then take them and open them easier and quicker.
Fill a plastic bag with no more than ½ cup of sunflower seeds so the seeds lie in a single layer when the bag sits on its side.
Cracking sunflower seeds in your teeth and spitting out the hulls might be fun at an outdoor event, but it will not work if you need the kernels for a recipe. Aside from paying extra to buy shelled sunflower seeds from the store, you can use items in your kitchen drawer to shell the seeds–either raw or roasted–quickly and easily.
Seal the bag and gently roll the rolling pin over the seeds to crack the hulls.
Empty the contents of the plastic bag into a bowl of water so the hulls (shells) rise to the top and the kernels sink to the bottom.
Pour the remaining water and sunflower seed kernels into a colander to drain the water away. The kernels are now ready to be eaten or used in cooking or baking.
Place the sunflower seeds into an electric mixer. Pulse the mixer by turning it on and off three to four times for two to three seconds each time.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the shells from the water. Pour the water containing the pumpkin seeds through a mesh colander or sieve to collect the kernels.
Place the seeds with broken shells into a pot of water. Stir the seeds in the water. The kernels will sink to the bottom of the pot, and the empty shells will float to the top.
Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are nutritious because they are high in protein. Many people enjoy the seeds as snacks because they help curb your appetite without adding too many calories. While you can eat pumpkin and sunflower seeds with their shells on, many recipes require removing the shells. You can shell pumpkin and sunflower seeds at home by carefully crushing them to remove the hulls without damaging the seeds.
Lay the pumpkin seeds out on a flat surface. Crack the shells with a wooden mallet.
Sunflower seeds: How to peel and remove the shells before eating them.
FAQ
What is the most efficient way to open sunflower seeds?
Do you crack open sunflower seeds?
How to shell sunflower seeds at home?
To shell sunflower seeds at home you need a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin. Put the seeds into the bag, and make a single layer by flattening the seeds using your hands. Now gently roll over the seeds using a rolling pin to shell out sunflower seeds without breaking them. Removing shells can get taxing at times as the seeds are very tiny.
How do you eat sunflower seeds in a plastic bag?
Fill a plastic bag with no more than ½ cup of sunflower seeds so the seeds lie in a single layer when the bag sits on its side. Seal the bag and gently roll the rolling pin over the seeds to crack the hulls. Empty the contents of the plastic bag into a bowl of water so the hulls (shells) rise to the top and the kernels sink to the bottom.
Do sunflower seeds need to be soaked?
Soaking sunflower seeds in water can also make them easier to shell. Simply place the seeds in a bowl of water and let them soak for a few hours. The shells will become soft and pliable, making them easier to remove. Once the seeds have soaked, drain the water and use your fingers to gently squeeze the shells off of the seeds.
How do you clean sunflower seed hulls?
Empty the contents of the plastic bag into a bowl of water so the hulls (shells) rise to the top and the kernels sink to the bottom. Skim the shells from the surface of the water with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Pour the remaining water and sunflower seed kernels into a colander to drain the water away.