Harvest Nutmeg – Husk Splits Then Dry Mace

Harvest nutmeg when the husk splits, then dry the red aril and the seed apart. The aril becomes mace. The seed is the nutmeg.

Pick the fruit when it splits

Pick nutmeg when the fruit is open. A pole with a blade and a basket takes the open fruit from the tree. Seed that drops can be gathered too, but fruit left on the ground is more likely to rot. [1] The husk is yellow and fleshy. Under it, a bright red web covers the shell. That web is the aril, and the dried aril is mace. The kernel inside the shell is the nutmeg. [2]

1. Watch for husks that have split. That is the ripe fruit.
2. Cut open fruit from the tree with a pole and catch it, or pick up what has already dropped.
3. Do the round daily when the crop is heavy, and every two or three days the rest of the year.
4. Pull the seed, with the aril still on it, out of the husk the same day.

Dry the mace and the seed separately

Separate the aril from the seed, spread the aril in the sun, and keep it dry. If drying mace gets wet it molds, and molded mace is a loss. The seed loses about a quarter of its weight while it dries. [3] Flatten the aril and dry it in the sun for about 10 to 15 days. Dry the seeds on their own for about 4 to 8 weeks, until the kernel rattles inside the shell. [4]

1. Peel the red aril off the seed. Flatten it by hand so it dries in a thin sheet.
2. Dry the aril in the sun for about 10 to 15 days. Cover it or bring it in if rain is coming.
3. Dry the seeds apart from the aril. Turn them so they do not ferment.
4. Stop when the kernel rattles in the shell, often after 4 to 8 weeks. Store the dry seed and the dry mace where they stay dry.

Pick the fruit when it splits, and dry the aril and the seed apart until the kernel rattles.