Pecan Valley Pecans

The 2008 Pecan Harvest Begins Soon!

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This year’s pecan harvest is producing the most plump and delicious pecans in years. The first pecans ready for harvest are the Pawnee and Native Pecans. As the season progresses, other species will be reaching maturity and will be ready for shipment in time for your Holiday Baking needs.

The most outstanding feature of Pawnee is its large nut size combined with very early nut maturity. Pawnee is the first pecan variety we harvest each season.

Native pecans have a better flavor than pecans grown for commercial production because of their natural oils. The shell is thicker and more difficult to shell than most other varieties but the bright kernel and unusual flavor make it worthwhile.

We sell more Choctaw than any other variety. It is a large nut with meat that doesn't stick to the shell. This allows it to shell out quickly and easily. The kernel is darker than most but the flavor is tremendous.

Cheyenne is the variety of choice if you are looking for a kernel that is bright and creamy in color. Many of our customers, after sampling each variety in the store, choose Cheyenne for its "nutty" flavor. Cheyenne has the thinnest shell of any variety we sell but is usually not quite as large as some of the others.

If you're looking for a nut that is sweet in flavor, Desirable is the one you want. The shell is thicker than most other varieties but the bright kernel and unusual flavor make it worthwhile. It is similar in size to Choctaw and Kiowa.

Kiowa is very similar to Choctaw in size, shape, and flavor but the kernel is a little lighter in color. Kiowa halves make an impressive gift or enhance the top of pastries.

This variety is not as popular as the "Indian" varieties but only because the name is not as easily recognized. This long, slender pecan produces some of the plumpest kernels of any we have. The meat is not as bright as Cheyenne but not as dark as Choctaw. The shell is of average thickness.

Recipe Collection

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Breadmaking Machine Recipes

Cookie Recipes

2008 Product List

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10.5 Ounce Box

1 Pound Box

2 Pound Box

3 Pound Box

5 Pound Box

10 Pound Box

25 Pound Box

10.5 Ounce Box

1 Pound Box

2 Pound Box

10 Pound Box

25 Pound Box

12 Ounce Box

1 Pound Box

2 Pound Box

3 Pound Box

5 Pound Box

10 Pound Box

25 Pound Box

1 Pound Box

2 Pound Box

3 Pound Box

5 Pound Box

10 Pound Box

25 Pound Box

1 Pound Box

2 Pound Box

3 Pound Box

5 Pound Box

10 Pound Box

25 Pound Box

1 Pound Box

2 Pound Box

3 Pound Box

5 Pound Box

10 Pound Box

25 Pound Box

Chocolate Amaretto Pecans

Chocolate Covered Pecans

Chocolate Toffee Pecans

Chocolate Pecan Clusters

Cinnamon Pecans

Honey Roasted Pecans

Jalapeño Pecans

Hot & Spicy Pecans

Praline Pecans

Roasted, Buttered & Salted Pecans

Sugar-Free Chocolate Covered Pecans

White Chocolate Pecans

Texan "York" Nut Sheller - Right-Handed Model

Texan "York" Nut Sheller - Left-Handed Model

Texan "York" Blade Replacement Kits

Texan Inertia Nutcracker

Texan Inertia Nutcracker Rubber Band Kits

The Dynamic Nutcracker

Kinetic Kracker

Getting to the Meat of Pecans

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The pecan nut grows in clusters of four on the tree. The edible nut is surrounded by a tough husk. When the nuts mature, the husk splits open to release the nutmeat encased in smooth, brown oblong shells. The nuts are harvested by shaking the tree and gathering the fallen nuts from the ground. The unshelled nuts, ranging in size from 1 to 1½ inches, are generally then washed, lightly sanded, and polished before commercial sale. Some are dyed red as a sales tactic to give them eye appeal.

Although not nearly as hard as the walnut shell, the pecan shell must be cracked with some forceful assistance, usually a nutcracker. The bare hand is generally not strong enough. Inside the protective shell, is a two-lobed seed with a smooth, very thin, brown edible skin. The halves are separated by a dark brown bark-like sheath which must be removed. Some slightly immature nutmeats may also have a bit of what looks like fine brown fuzz which should be removed by wiping or brushing as it lends a bitter flavor.

As American As Pecans

2005-07-30T08:17:00.000-05:00

As American as pecans? Yes, indeed! Along with corn and Jerusalem artichokes, pecans are native to North America and were once a valued food mainstay for Native Americans. Today’s cuisine includes not only desserts, but also many savory applications for the pecan. Before trying one of the many pecan recipes, learn about pecan history, selection, storage, health benefits, and how to cook with them.

Pecan History

Native to North America, the pecan is a member of the hickory family and closely related to the walnut. Its original botanical name was Hicoria pecan but was changed to Carya illinoinensis in the late seventeenth century. Fur traders brought the pecan to the Atlantic coast from Illinois, calling them Illinois nuts, hence the Latin classification of illinoinensis. The English term pecan comes from the Algonquin Indian word paccan or pakan, meaning a nut so hard it had to be cracked with a stone. The Algonquians also referred to walnuts and hickory nuts as paccans. The term pecans first appeared in print in 1773. George Washington planted pecan trees at Mount Vernon, a gift from Thomas Jefferson who is credited with their initial popularity in the South.

In 1846, a black slave gardener known only as Antoine, developed the Centennial variety of pecan via grafting on Louisiana’s Oak Alley plantation. Pecans were not exploited commercially until the middle of the nineteenth century. Europeans had never even seen a pecan until the sixteenth century.

Pecan trees can grow to over one hundred feet tall and live to be over a thousand years old. Pecan trees are native to the Mississippi River basin, and do well as far north as Illinois and Indiana and southward to Mexico. Out of over one thousand varieties, one has even adapted to grow in the colder climates of Canada. One tree alone can yield up to four hundred pounds of nuts in a good year. Australia began harvesting productive pecan crops in 1960, and Israel’s production was boosted in the 1970s. It takes ten years for a pecan tree to produce a profitable crop. In the United States, pecans are second in popularity only to peanuts (which are not even true nuts). The pecan is the state tree of Texas, where it is widely cultivated. The United States produces about eighty percent of the world’s pecans.

Legend and Lore

Some North American Indians believe the pecan tree to be representative of the Great Spirit. They considered the fruit of the tree to be valuable and traded hides and mats for pecans with early Spaniards in Florida. The Mariame tribe of Texas used the nuts as their sole sustenance for two months out of the year

Pecan Selection and Storage

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Purchase unshelled nuts that feel heavy for their size, uncracked, and free of blemishes. Shake the nuts, if they rattle in the shell, avoid them. Rattling is an indication of age. Avoid bulk bins of shelled pecans and stick with those that are in sealed packages or tins with expiration dates.

Available year-round, fresh pecans are generally at their peak the first three weeks after harvesting season in the fall. After that, they will slowly begin their decline into rancidity. Yet, properly stored at room temperature, unshelled pecans will keep up to three months. Once they are shelled, they will keep up to six months in the refrigerator in a sealed container or up to a year in the freezer. Pecans can be frozen shelled or unshelled.

Since they have such a high oil content, it's best to purchase pecans in the shell as they can turn rancid more quickly than other nuts with lower oil content. Since they will absorb odors and flavors, shelled pecans should always be kept in a closed container.

Pecans, the All-American Nut

2005-06-14T13:54:00.000-05:00

Pecans are at their freshest and most flavorful in November and December, just after they have been harvested. Perhaps that’s why they’ve become part of traditional Southern holiday celebrations.

Pecans have been often called the “all-American nut.” Native to the Mississippi Valley, they were a staple of the diet of Native Americans, who pounded them into flour and used them to flavor food. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, who was also a well-know horticulturist and food connoisseur, imported pecan trees for m Louisiana to plant at his home, Monticello.

New disease-resistant varieties of pecan trees developed in the 19th century, along with commercial pecan-processing equipment introduced in the 1920s have made growing pecans a major industry. Today more than 500 varieties of pecans are grown in the United States.

Pecans are not only a delicious and satisfying snack, but they are also good for you. Recent studies have shown that eating a handful of pecans (about ¾ cup) per day can help lower total blood cholesterol and preserve the good HDLs that fight heart disease. They also contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber than can help prevent cancer. And for dieters, pecans are even low in carbohydrates

Pecans are available in a variety of forms—form perfect halves to pecan pieces and even pecan meal—and a variety of sizes. Mammoth pecans, the largest size, which yield 200 to 250 halves per pound, will make an impressive show in your holiday recipes, especially if you plant to serve them whole. But if a recipe calls for shopped pecans, the smaller sizes will do just as well.

When buying shelled pecans, look for plump, meaty nuts that are uniform in size and amber in color. Their high fat content makes shelled pecans very perishable. If you don’t plant to use them within a week or two, you should take special care to store pecans properly:

• Keep shelled pecans in airtight freezer bags for up to nine months.

• Freeze shelled pecans in airtight freezer bags for up to two years. (Thawing and refreezing pecans during this two-year period will not damage their flavor or texture.)

Pecan Cooking Tips and Hints

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If you're looking for a low-calorie food, better steer clear of pecans. One pound of pecans rings up an amazing 3,633 calories. These nuts have a fat content of nearly seventy percent, the highest of all nuts, which is one reason why early Native American generations relied upon them heavily as a sustaining food source. This high oil content also makes it a useful ingredient for those on a low-carbohydrate diet. On the plus side, the fat in pecans is primarily unsaturated which has been shown to help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Pecans are very rich in pyridoxine, more commonly known as vitamin B6, a vitamin important to regeneration of cells in diseased hearts. Along with vitamin B6, pecans are also a good source of thiamine, zinc, copper, potassium, and iron.

Cooking with Pecans

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One pound of pecans in the shell will yield 2 cups shelled. One pound of shelled pecan halves equals about 4 cups. Pecans can be substituted for walnuts in nearly every recipe, although their flavor is slightly more delicate than that of walnuts.

Toasting pecans will bring out their aroma and add crunchiness. To toast, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread pecans on a cookie sheet. Bake about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and aromatic.

Ground into a meal, pecans are used as a wonderful flavoring additive to breads, cookies, and other baked goods. Care must be taken when grinding your own pecan meal at home since the high oil content can turn the meal almost into butter if done too fast and too quickly. For a hefty price, you can find pecan oil in gourmet stores which works beautifully in salad dressings.

Two of the most popular pecan dishes are pecan pie (sometimes called Karo pie after the brand of corn syrup often used as an ingredient) and Southern pralines. Pecan balls are a dessert famous in Pittsburgh, Ohio, made by rolling vanilla ice cream in chopped pecans and topping with chocolate syrup.

Pecan Sizes

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Pecan Sizes	Halves per Pound
Mammoth	200-250 halves
Junior Mammoth	251-300 halves
Jumbo	301-350 halves
Extra-Large	351-450 halves
Large	451-550 halves
Medium	551-650 halves
Topper	651-750 halves
Small Topper	751 and up

Pecan Grades

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Pecans come in the following grades:

Fancy - Golden color, no defects
Choice - Darker than fancy, no defects
Standard - Harvested green (fuzzy kernels), mottled color, shriveled ends, etc.
Damaged - Broken or cracked kernels

If you need chopped nuts or pieces for a recipe, there is no need to spend the extra money to buy fancy or choice grades. Those nuts sold as chopped or pieces are just broken pieces of usually a mixture of fancy and choice grades. Standard grade is generally used for commercial applications.

Enjoy the Taste of Roasted Pecans

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One of the simplest ways to enjoy the taste of pecans is roasting, with butter and salt. Place the pecans in a single layer in a roasting pan or a rimmed cookie sheet, dot with butter and roast for 1 hour in a 250 degree oven. Slow roasting at this lower temperature should prevent the pecans from burning, but ovens vary so watch them closely and stir them every 10 minutes or so. The pecans are done when they have reached a golden brown.

Return Policy

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To return a product, you must request a Return Authorization number (RA#) by contacting us at CustomerService@PecanValleyPecans.com. You can only request a RA# within 30 days after you receive shipment. Please make sure you write this number on the outside of the box you send back to us. Returns without an RA# may be refused and/or subject to a 50% restocking fee.

You must return products within 30 days after the RA# is issued. ITEMS MUST BE RETURNED UNUSED AND IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING AS SHIPPED BY PECAN VALLEY PECANS. ANY ITEMS RETURNED IN PACKAGING OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL PACKAGING WILL BE REFUSED.

There is a 25% restocking fee on merchandise returned for any reason other than a product defect or damage.

Certain products are noted on the product page as custom or special order. These products are not returnable. Also, we cannot accept returns for any of our shelled, cracked or whole pecans.

Shortages/Damages/Defects

You must inspect your package immediately upon receipt for shortages (did not receive all the items listed on the packing slip that show as shipped), damages or defects. You must notify us within three (3) days of receipt of any shortages, damages or defects. Although your product may be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, we cannot take responsibility for any damages or defects beyond this point and you will need to contact the manufacturer directly.

If your product is received damaged or defective we will take one of the following actions:

· send a certified technician out to your home to inspect, and, if necessary, repair or replace the product at our expense; or

· provide you with a Return Authorization number (RA#) so that you can return the product at our expense.

If the certified technician determines that your product was not damaged or defective or if you returned the product and upon our inspection we determine the product is not damaged or defective, YOU MAY BE CHARGED FOR THE SERVICE CALL AND/OR SHIPPING PLUS A 25% RESTOCKING FEE.

Thank You!

2005-05-01T21:00:00.000-05:00

Thank you for your payment. Your transaction has been completed, and a receipt for your purchase has been e-Mailed to you. You may log into your account at PayPal.com to view details of this transaction.

Your order is being processed and will be shipped as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact us by e-Mail or by mail at:

Pecan Valley Pecans
221 County Road 563
Brownwood, TX 76801-0427

Pecan Valley Pecans

The 2008 Pecan Harvest Begins Soon!

Pawnee - Available October 3rd

Native Pecans - Available October 15th

Choctaw

Cheyenne

Desirable

Kiowa

Gracross

Recipe Collection

2008 Product List

Hand-Shelled Pawnee Pecan Halves

Fancy Pawnee Pecan Halves

Pawnee Pecan Pieces

Cracked Pawnee Pecans

Whole “In-Shell” Pawnee Pecans

Whole “In-Shell” Native Pecans

Pecan Meal

Southern Pecan Candies

Nut Shellers