Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: Use a clamping pliers and a hammer
• Method 2 of 2: Use a hole in the stone
• Tips
• Warnings

Macadamia nuts are incredibly difficult to crack in the first place, even if they have been cooked or fried before. A typical nutcracker will not help, nor will an ordinary hammer work - it can only crush the fragile nuts inside. There are two methods for cracking macadamia nuts, which we will discuss below.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Use a clamping pliers and a hammer

1. 1 Take the tools. You can make an impromptu macadamia nutcracker using clamping pliers, a metal block (on which you place the nut), and a flat hammer.
   • Clamping pliers are common tools available at any hardware and hardware store. If you love macadamia nuts and plan to peel them frequently, then it is worth buying a clamping bell for that specific purpose (although you will likely find other uses for it).
   • Make sure the hammer has a flat end, not a rounded end. You need to apply even pressure to the nutshell.
   • If you don't have a bar of iron, any sturdy metal will do. Other hard surfaces such as marble, glass, concrete or wood can be damaged by hammer blows, so work with metal.
2. 2 Pinch the nut with pliers. Place it with the walnut seam facing up and not against the inside of the vise. Take the vise so that it grips the nut tightly.
3. 3 Place the capped nut against the metal bar. Hold the vise handles firmly and grip the nut well as you don't want the nut to slide when you hammer it.
4. 4 Hit the nut with a hammer. Try hitting the seam so that it splits. Let the hammer bounce towards you when the nut opens.
   • You may have to try this a couple of times before you know exactly how much force to apply.
   • Hold the bounce of the hammer or pull slightly as this will prevent the hammer from breaking the nut inside.
5. 5 Release the nut from the vise. The shell will fall off and the intact nut is now ready to go into your mouth or be used in a recipe.

Method 2 of 2: Use a hole in the stone

1. 1 Find a stone with a hole in it. This method originated in Hawaii and is still widely used there to crack Australian walnuts. The stone provides a hard surface to stabilize the nut. Look for a small hole deep enough to hold the nut in place, but shallow enough so that it sticks out slightly above the hole.
   • If you live near a volcanic rock, you will probably find some rocks with holes just the right size.
   • If you don't live near a volcanic rock, look for some limestone or shale with natural, small holes in it. Some people have successfully cracked nuts using a crack in the sidewalk; be careful though, as this method can damage the sidewalk.
2. 2 Place the stone in the hole with the seam up. Place it gently so the seam is on top and you will have a clear bump when you hit the shell.
3. 3 Break the nut with a stone. Any heavy, flat, hard rock should do the trick. Grasp the rock firmly, lift it over your head, then break the seam of the macadamia nut shell. The casing should open correctly.
   • Let the rock come back to you slightly after you break the nut. If you keep hitting the shell with it, you will break the nut inside.
   • If you are having trouble breaking the shell, experiment with different angles of impact and different rocks, shapes and sizes.
4. 4 Remove the nut. Take a look at the walnut to make sure there are no gravel or other particles of stone on it. You can rinse it off before using it.
5. 5 Ready.

Tips

• Cracked macadamia shells are said to be great for garden mulch.
• Pre-shelled nuts are not as good as nuts straight out of the shell, as nut oils start to taste bitter on contact with air. Store your half-eaten cracked nuts in the refrigerator for up to a week after opening the shells. Chop only the amount you need to avoid wastage.
• Be careful with debris from the shell. They tend to fly everywhere when the hammer is lowered. It's best to do this in a place where the clutter can be easily cleaned up, or cover a large area with newspaper that you can easily collect and discard later.
• Some say that macadamia nuts that are placed in the freezer an hour before cracking are much easier to break.

Warnings

• Watch your fingers - keep them away from the hammer to avoid accidentally hitting them.