We’ve all heard of roasting chestnuts on an open fire, but how many of you have actually tried them out? Today, we’re going to make them at home!
Chestnuts are in season September through February here in the U.S. and are grown on trees throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia.
When choosing fresh chestnuts, look for nice plump specimens that are free of bruising with nice shiny brown shells.
But how to roast chestnuts? I simply grab a sharp paring knife and mark an X on the flattest side of each chestnut. We do this so the nuts won’t explode when they are heated.
Next, fill a large bowl with cool water and soak the nuts about 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 F or get your fireplace nice and roaring. Drain the nuts and scatter on a baking sheet, X side up. Roast for about 12-18 minutes, or until the peels curl up a bit and the nuts are soft.
For chestnuts roasting on an open fire, place in a long-handled frying pan (nonstick isn’t recommended), a popcorn popper or chestnut roaster. Some folks recommend covering the pan.
Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the peels curl up and the nuts are soft. We hope you enjoy this fun holiday tradition.
Chestnut uses are plentiful, ranging from salted alone or dipped in sour cream, placed into turkey stuffing or candied. Enjoy!
How to Roast Chestnuts
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comIngredients
- 1 large bag of fresh chestnuts
Instructions
- When choosing fresh chestnuts, look for nice plump specimens that are free of bruising with nice shiny brown shells.
- Grab a sharp paring knife and mark an X on the flattest side of each chestnut. We do this so the nuts won’t explode when they are heated.
- Next, fill a large bowl with cool water and soak the nuts about 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 400 F or get your fireplace nice and roaring. Drain the nuts and scatter on a baking sheet, X side up. Roast for about 12-18 minutes, or until the peels curl up a bit and the nuts are soft.
- For chestnuts roasting on an open fire, place in a long-handled frying pan (nonstick isn’t recommended), a popcorn popper or chestnut roaster. Some folks recommend covering the pan. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the peels curl up and the nuts are soft.
- We hope you enjoy this fun holiday tradition. Chestnut uses are plentiful, ranging from salted alone or dipped in sour cream, placed into turkey stuffing or candied. Enjoy!
