Soaking and dehydrating sunflower seeds can preserve them for safe snacking.
Sunflowers are a versatile plant. Not only do they provide a tall, strikingly bright flower, but their seeds can also serve as a healthy snack. Before you can safely eat sunflower seeds, you must soak and dehydrate them to ensure all debris and bacteria is removed. Dehydrating sunflower seeds requires exposing them to high temperatures, which can accidentally burn the seeds if you do not watch them carefully.
Instructions
1. Place your freshly picked sunflower seeds into a large pot on your stovetop. Fill the pot with 8 cups of water and 1/4 cup of salt. Stir the mixture to evenly distribute the salt.
2. Set the stove temperature to high and heat the water until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and soak the sunflower seeds in the warm water for approximately two hours.
3. Place a colander into your sink, then pour the contents of the pot into the colander to drain the seeds. Shake the colander gently to get rid of any excess water. Line a platter with a paper towel, then pour the drained sunflower seeds onto it.
4. Let the sunflower seeds sit on the paper towels until they are completely dry. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Place the baking sheet with the sunflower seeds into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and stir the seeds, then return them to the oven. Repeat the baking and stirring process every 10 minutes for a total of 40 minutes, or until the sunflower seeds are crispy and golden brown.
6. Let the sunflower seeds cool down to room temperature. Transfer them into an airtight container and store them at room temperature. The seeds will generally keep for an extended period of time, up to one year.
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