shelling sunflower seeds

Gail H
Gail H Posts: 359 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 2020 in DIY Tutorials

Does anyone have a reasonably efficient means of shelling sunflower seeds? We actually outsmarted the squirrels this year and got a decent crop of seeds, but they are laborious to shell.

My granddaughter and I tried running some through my oat flaker to see if that would squish them just enough to loosen the shells, but they were pretty much crushed. It was fun for my granddaughter to turn the handle on the flaker, but we didn't get anything usable.

I finally put the seeds in the freezer and they mock me every time I open the door. I am about ready to put them out for the squirrels, which was, of course, their plan all along!

Comments

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Hi Gail,

    A while back I was also very interested in shelling sunflower seed as they are an easy way to get oil.

    I'll see if I can find the document on it. But essentially you screen the sunflower seeds so you have approximately the same size in each group (use different kinds of hardware cloth or other screens).

    Then you adjust the width of the burrs on a hand mill so that it cracks the shells open, but doesn't damage the seeds.

    The shells and seed can be separated by winnowing, or maybe just jiggling - the heavier seeds will go to the bottom and the shells on the top.

    This is my kitchen in Texas! Whaw... so many years ago. Great to have photo libraries, yes? Ah, but these are not actually shelled... hmm. Let me look some more.

    But I think you get the idea.