Roasted Chestnuts (Easy-Peel Method) (2024)

FAQs

Why won't my roasted chestnuts peel? ›

It's a fine line between the chestnuts being too hot to handle long enough to peel them, and cooling off so much that the skins seem to shrink onto the nuts again. That's why wrapping them in a towel is key.

Soak them in water for 15 minutes up to an hour before roasting. This helps the nut separate from the shell and makes peeling even easier after roasting.

Add “scored” chestnuts into your chestnut pan or old frying pan and place on top of hot coals. Cook for 15-20 minutes while shaking pan every few minutes to prevent scorching. Remove from pan and dump into a bowl and cover with a towel for 15 minutes. Carefully peel the flesh from the shell and enjoy hot.

If you over-cook OR under-cook them, they will get hard and the inner skin will be very difficult to remove. Now comes the hard part: peeling them! You need to peel them while they are still warm. Let them cool just enough so that you can touch them, then start peeling.

Chestnuts are dried using a walnut drier operated in a nearby town. It takes about 7 days to completely dry the nuts. The shell is removed by repeatedly passing the nuts through a series of stainless steel rollers. Pellicle is removed by repeatedly passing the shelled nuts between 2 abrasive belts.

First, let the cooked chestnuts cool just until they are easy to handle, then place them in a covered dish or pan to keep them warm. Using a knife or your fingers, peel the chestnuts one by one, being sure to remove both the skin and inner pellicle.

The edible part of the chestnut is protected by its prickly outer shell, then by brown skin and finally by the tan. This fine pellicle is bitter and astringent and it should be removed.

In just half a cup of chestnuts, you get decent amounts of the mineral manganese, which is important for cell function and bone health and copper, a mineral that helps the body form red blood cells. It also supplies vitamin C, folate, and potassium and has 3.6 grams of fiber—13 percent of the amount you need daily.

Always soak you chestnuts in water before roasting

That's because, per The Splendid Table, the water left over in the chestnuts after you drain them ensures that the chestnuts don't dry out when you roast them. Tada! You'll end up with softer, easier to peel, deliciously Christmasy nuts.

They're best when super soft and just melt in your mouth. The best way to accomplish this is to boil the nuts before roasting or to simply pressure cook them. The unique meaty flavor of roasted chestnuts is perfect for cozy gatherings around the fireplace.

How can you tell when roasted chestnuts are done? ›

Roast: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove the chestnuts from the water and pat them dry. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet with the flat side down and slit side facing up. Roast chestnuts for 30-35 minutes or until you see that the skins have pulled back and the nut inside has softened.

In Northern Italy, particularly in Piedmont and Lombardy, chestnuts are celebrated in savoury dishes like chestnut and mushroom risotto or hearty chestnut soups. The Piedmontese even have a traditional chestnut dessert known as “Montebianco,” where chestnut puree is piped into a mound resembling a snow-capped mountain.

How to Roast Chestnuts. After slitting the shells, transfer the chestnuts to a chestnut roasting pan or a rimmed baking pan, and roast them in a 350-degree oven for about 35 minutes.

Oven-roasting chestnuts is the best way to bring out the fullest flavour (if you want to eat them straight away or chop them into your stuffing mix). Boiling them will give a smooth texture for cooking in soups or purées.

Some varieties are easier to peel than others. The premium easy peel variety is De Coppi Marone, so buying the right variety contributes significantly to ease of peeling.

To store: Chestnuts contain 50 per cent water and should be kept in the fridge to prevent them from drying out. To prepare: Cut a small slit in the skin. Roast in a preheated oven for 10 minutes at 200°C, gas mark 6, or drop into boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes, then peel.