In the process of reorganizing my food storage in 2018, I found a hidden jar of pecans that had been dry packed in December 2011. (They had been stored for 7 years.) I opened them to see if I could use them in my holiday baking and found that they tasted just as they did when I dry packed them in 2011.
I used up that jar of pecans and opened a jar packed in 2012. It was good, also. I got out a second jar of 2012 nuts when that was empty and noticed that the pecans were quite a bit darker in color. I also noticed that the vacuum had been lost at some point even though the lid was still adhering to the jar rim. I tasted them to see if they were good but they were questionable. I had some on my oatmeal and they were okay. I tried them again the next day and some tasted really bad so out they went for the squirrels. The next jar dated 2012 still had its vacuum and the nuts were a normal lighter color. They tasted good and fresh.
So, besides a rancid smell, another sign of bad nuts may be color change. Watch for it when checking your older dry packed/stored nuts.
In the photograph above, the good nuts are on the left. The bad nuts are on the right.
Dry packing in canning jars is very easy. Use 100 cc absorbers in quart jars, if you can get them, or use the 300 cc absorbers found online at the Online Store of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is the least expensive source for that size.
Instructions for dry packing in canning jars can be found at “Dry-Pack Canning in Glass Canning Jars” on simplyprepared.com.
Disclaimer – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not currently recommend storing nuts with oxygen absorbers because of the fat content of the nuts.
