I was gifted a large walnut burl a few years ago that had sat outside in a wood yard for many years. It was the gnarliest thing I’d ever seen. Someone had at one time taken a good sized slice out of one side (about 25% of the burl) the rest was left in the sun, rain and whatever snows fall up near Chico CA for nearly 2 decades before I got it. Cracked and homely, I started cutting away and came up with several bowl blanks - 2 were 24”+, about 6 more smaller open form bowls, and three or four long tool handles. All good, sound and very attractive wood. We’ll worth hauling it home.
Go slow, and just start cutting, what you find may surprise you. If not, what you learn can be put to use, too.