I know dairy milk should not be canned. I am very careful about using approved recipes and guidelines, but I'm curious about non-dairy "milk" made solely from pecans and water. I have no idea what canning would do to taste or quality, but what about safety? Nuts are approved for canning, but what about nuts as a watery liquid?

Anyone have any information/input?

Thanks, Jill

I would not can it since it would be basically making up your own directions.

Pecan milk is simple to make. I based it on internet recipes for almond milk, which indicate a 1:4 ratio of nuts to water, but I find it too watery. Maybe it's the difference between pecans and almonds, or maybe it's just me, but I increase the ratio of nuts for a fuller flavor.

Some recipes indicate soaking the nuts a few hours or overnight, some say it isn't necessary. I tried it both ways and find it tastes better and sweeter if the nuts are soaked in water overnight.

Recipe: Pecan Milk

2 cups pecans (I measure them prior to soaking, not after). Soak them overnight, then drain and rinse. Put the soaked, drained, rinsed pecans in the blender and add 4-5 cups of water, plus flavorings as desired. I add honey or agave nectar to taste, nutmeg & vanilla. Blend until frothy and creamy white. My blender isn't very big, so I have to do this in two batches.

I strain the mixture by suspending a nut milk bag (or jelly bag) over the mouth of a 1/2 gallon ball jar and pour the mixture in. Use the back of a spoon to keep the mixture flowing through, when mostly strained, the bag can be squeezed to get all the liquid out. You can let this drain in the refrigerator overnight if you wish. There isn't much flavor left in the residue in the bag after straining and squeezing, but I have read it can be dehydrated and used as nut flour. Haven't tried that yet.

It isn't necessary to sweeten or spice the milk...but that is the way we like it. I was spending $3.69 per half-gallon of the Very Vanilla Soy milk that my husband likes. Now I'm making only pecan milk and saving the money. We really like it, but I wouldn't do this if I had to buy the pecans, as they are too expensive. I'm lucky to have a lot of pecan trees that had a really good production this year. I have not tried pecan milk (unflavored) in cooking recipes yet, but I will try it soon.

Jill

Jill