There are many different methods for cooking chestnuts.
How to roast chestnuts is, by far, our most frequently asked question
from our customers. 
Listed
below are a few ways in which they are commonly cooked. Please visit
our recipes page for a few gourmet chestnut recipe ideas. If you would
prefer a more extensive list of chestnut recipes, please e-mail
or call.
Like popcorn, fresh chestnuts have a closed shell with
moisture trapped inside. When roasting, the moisture can forcefully
pop the nut open. Always slit the shell to allow the steam pressure
to escape. Otherwise the nut will burst with a small explosion.
Oven Roasted Chestnuts - Method 1 (Oven Roasted)
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. With a sharp knife, make a slit through both the smooth outer shell
and the
textured inner skin. This will allow the steam pressure to escape
as the nut heats
up.
3. Place the nuts in a shallow pan.
4. Roast in the oven for approximately 15-25 minutes. You may wish
to turn them
over after 5-10 minutes for a more evenly roasted chestnut.
5. Take out of the oven and let cool slightly before peeling both
shell and skin (they
will peel more easily when they are still warm).
Enjoy!
Oven Roasted Chestnuts - Method 2 (Oven Broiled)
1. Turn on your oven's broiler.
2. Score the nuts as mentioned in method 1.
3. Place the scored nuts in a shallow pan.
4. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven.
5. Broil the nuts until the outer shell blackens slightly. Again,
you may wish
to turn them over after a few minutes for a more evenly roasted chestnut.
6. Broil for approximately 7-10 minutes more.
7. Take out of the oven and let cool slightly before peeling both
the outer shell and
the inner skin (they will peel more easily when they are still warm).
Enjoy!
Boiling
1. Place the nuts in a pot of boiling water.
2. Boil for approximately 30 minutes.
3. With a slotted spoon, transfer several of the nuts to a work surface.
4. Peel both the outer shell and the inner skin while they are still
warm.
Enjoy!
Note: Some cultures add sugar or salt to the water while
boiling them to enhance the flavor.
Other Methods Of Cooking Chestnuts
Chestnuts roasting over an open fire in a wire basket
or in a special perforated chestnut roaster pan, on the range in a
large skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes, or in the microwave.
Note: Vary the cooking times to suit for all
of the methods listed above.
If they cool off too much after they are cooked, they can become harder
to peel. If this happens, just put them back into the oven, or boiling
water, to reheat.
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Curing
Our chestnuts are harvested fresh and because of this,
we recommend an important curing process be followed prior to cooking.
Curing makes the nuts far easier to peel as it allows the nut to shrink
away from the inner skin (the pellicle). It also ripens and sweetens
the nut, as the starches in the nut are converted to sugar.
This is what we suggest:
1. Put the chestnuts in a bowl and leave at room temperature.
2. On a daily or semi daily basis, pinch the nut between your thumb
and
forefinger. If there is no give, the nut needs more curing time. If
there is a
slight give between the outer shell and the nut inside, the nut has
begun the
curing process. Note: a small dimple in the outer shell may be noticed.
This is
caused because the nut is shrinking away from the outer shell and
pellicle.
3. Once the chestnuts are properly cured i.e. the outer shell and
pellicle are
easily removed from the nut, they are ready for cooking.
Tips: - Do not over cure the nut as it could dry out and become hard.
- Curing under sunlight can speed up the process. Again be careful
not to over
cure.
- The curing process can take between 2 to 7 days.
- Naturally, during shipment, the curing process has already begun.
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Storage
Chestnuts should be stored with great care and attention.
Unlike most other nuts, they are highly perishable. They are comprised
of about 40-50 % water and thus, if not stored properly, can become
prone to mold. Listed below are some tips for storing our product.
The shelf life can be extended dramatically if stored properly.
1. We recommend storing them in airtight containers
in the coolest part of the refrigerator.
2. Stored properly in the refrigerator, they can have a shelf life
of approximately 4 weeks.
3. We store our product in a constant environment of 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. They can also be stored in the freezer for year round enjoyment.
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Peeling
1. Chestnuts have an outer shell and an inner skin,
which seals the nut.
2. The outer shell is smooth, shiny, and durable.
3. The inner skin (next to the meat) is more textured.
4. Both outer shell and inner skin must be removed before eating.
5. Both shell and skin are removed more easily after they have been
cooked and are still warm.
