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    Home » Sweets

    Hickory Nut Tea

    Published: Oct 11, 2022 Modified: Feb 21, 2023 by Alan Bergo This post may contain affiliate links Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Tea from nut trees? Yes. When I shared how I make traditional shagbark hickory nut milk a few years ago, two people left comments about making tea from crushed hickory nuts and it piqued my interest.

    Shagbark hickory nut tea
    Shagbark hickory nut tea, with a splash of cream, maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon is a fall treat.

    I made sure to try a couple batches to see what it was all about. It ended up being a fun hickory nut recipe I think will be useful for people not be willing or able to commit to making true hickory nut milk. 

    Crushed shagbark hickory nuts for  tea
    For tea, all you need is some crushed hickory nuts.

    Hickory nut milk

    Here's the jist. Traditional hickory nut milk (also known as kanuchi) is made from crushing the dried nuts of shagbark hickory trees (Carya ovata). The smashed hickory nuts, shell and all, are put into a pot with water and cooked for about 30 minutes.

    After cooking the pot is stirred, then left to sit for a moment. The shells settle to the bottom as they weigh less than the nut meats, then the (mostly) shell-free nut milk is ladled off the top.

    foraged hickory Nut Milk or Kanuchi
    Traditional hickory nut milk is much thicker than tea and has a very rich flavor. You'll need a way to crush the nuts and shells to make it. 

    Nut Tea vs Nut milk

    Making tea from hickory nuts is much easier than making the true nut milk as the nuts and shells don't need to be crushed-only cracked. All you have to do is crush some nuts with a hammer, toss them in a pot with a few cups of water, bring them to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, and voila! Nut tea that has a very good hickory flavor.

    Crushed shagbark hickory nuts for tea
    You'll want to make sure to inspect each nut as you crack them. Just one bad one will ruin a batch.

    Not exactly tea 

    The word tea here is a little misleading. Technically, I would probably call this weak nut milk, but it just doesn't have the same ring. The tea will be a little more cloudy than tea from a tea bag, and the nuts and shells will lend a little viscosity to the finished product-it's not unpleasant. 

    cooking crushed hickory nuts in a pot to make tea
    Simmering the tea. It won't be as clear as other teas you've had. 

    Making tea allows you to use more than shagbark nuts

    One of the cool parts of this method is that since you don't need finely ground shells and nuts, you can use hickory nuts that have a thicker shell, such as mockernuts, pignuts or shellbarks.

    Shellbark hickory nuts
    Shellbark hickory nuts have a very thick shell. I don't pick them, but if you want you can use larger species of hickory to make tea.

    Serving and enjoying

    You can drink the tea straight-up, but I really like it sweetened with a little maple syrup or shagbark syrup, a splash of cream and a tiny pinch of cinnamon.

    Other uses 

    The "tea" can be a lot more than a drink if you want. Just like hickory nut milk, the tea can be used as the base of a soup or a dessert, especially something with dairy like a custard which helps amplify the hickory flavor. Since nut "tea" isn't as thick as nut milk, you can use it to cook grains like wild rice as pictured below. If you were to use the real hickory nut milk the rice will come out clumpy. 

    Parched wild rice cooked in hickory nut milk with hickory nuts
    Wild rice cooked in hickory nyt tea is another possibility to consider.
    Shagbark hickory nut tea
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Hickory Nut Tea

    "Tea" made from crushed hickory nuts and their shells, seasoned with a splash of maple syrup, cream, and a pinch of cinnamon makes for a wonderful drink. Makes 3 cups.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Beverage, Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Native American
    Keyword: Hickory nut milk, Hickory nuts
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 50kcal
    Author: Alan Bergo
    Cost: 5

    Equipment

    • 1 2 quart soup pot

    Ingredients

    Tea

    • 2 oz shagbark hickory nuts
    • 24 oz water

    Serving

    • Maple syrup to taste
    • Splash of heavy cream optional
    • Tiny pinch of cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Crush the nuts with a molcajete or a hammer.
    • As you crack the nuts, be on the lookout for any spoiled or rancid nuts which will ruin the tea-discard any that you find and don’t be shy about tasting the nuts before you cook them, especially if the nuts have been stored at room temperature for more than a month.
    • Put the crushed nuts, shells and water into a small pot, bring to a simmer, turn the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine strainer or cheesecloth, pour into mugs and serve. You can drink the tea straight-up, but I like to sweeten it with maple syrup or shagbark syrup with a splash of heavy cream and the tiniest pinch of cinnamon.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4oz | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 0.4mg

    More 

    Forager's Guide to Shagbark Hickory Nuts 

    Hickory Nut Milk or Kanuchi 

    « Wild Rice Cooked in Hickory Nut Milk
    Shagbark Hickory Syrup »

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    Chef Alan Bergo

    HI, I'm Alan: James Beard Award-winning Chef, Author, Show Host and Forager. I've been writing about cooking wild food here for over a decade. Let me show you why foraging is the most delicious thing you'll ever do.

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