Hickory pie
 

This is more of a project thread than a recipe, but eventually I'll actually make some pies! Phase 1, raw material acquisition. You can't go down to the grocery for hickory nuts, so 1.5 hours and a small mountain climb later, here's about 2 gal of hickory nuts. Now I'm going fishing!

Might want to do a taste test to make sure those are not bitternut or pignut hickories. The thin-skinned types always confuse me.

Find a shellbark (or kingnut) hickory - then you are in pie heaven!

I collected a handful Sunday. They were delicious!

Is it like a pecan pie?

My exact thoughts. We thought we had tasty hickories only to find out pig hickories are only fit for squirrels.

Very similar. They are all in the genus Carya. Pecans are Carya illinoinensis.

The bark on these trees seemed like a match for pignut hickories of their size (12"-14" in diameter at eye level). The other common species, the shagbark is quite different. I have read conflicting accounts of the palatability of pignut hickories. It could be due to misidentification, and I may be guilty as well. But I can't get these things out of the shell fast enough to make them a decent snack food! So I'll bear down and produce for pie purposes.

Phase 2 is complete, all nuts are de-husked. And it only took 3 hours!

Your pies better taste good after all the effort you're putting in. :rofl:

My pecan pies always disappear quickly when I set them out. I'll be using the same recipe, just subbing in the hickories for the pecans. Phase 3 is shelling them. The best is yet to come I think!