Roasted Chestnuts (Six Ways!)
Learn how to make roasted chestnuts six differnt ways, then enjoy them for the holidays, or add them to other dishes!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 222kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chestnuts in shell
Instructions
How to Score Chestnuts
- Place chestnuts flat side down on a cutting board and hold in place while you score the round side with an "X" or one long slice across the middle. Use enough pressure to penetrate the outer shell and the brown skin underneath. Alternatively, use a chestnut-cutting tool.
Soaking Chestnuts
- Next, soak the chestnuts in a bowl of water for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. The longer they soak the easier it will be to not only remove the outer shell, but the papery skin that covers the nut. Soaking the nuts also softens them, improving their taste and texture.
Six Ways To Roast Chestnuts
- Roasting Chestnuts On An Open Fire or Fireplace: Add scored and soaked chestnuts to a grill basket or an iron pan (preferably with holes) and nestle the basket over hot coals. Whether in a fire ring or your fireplace, make sure the fire has died down and the coals are hot with plenty of gray ash.Roast for approximately 10-12 minutes, shaking the pan often to keep from scorching the nuts.
- Grilling Instructions: Preheat your grill to 400℉. Add scored and soaked chestnuts to a cast-iron skillet or a grill basket and grill for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the nuts are fragrant and the shells peel back.
- Smoking Directions: To smoke chestnuts, heat smoker to 400℉ using your favorite fruit wood including cherry, apple, or pecan. Add scored and soaked nuts directly on the grill (or in a pan). Close lid and smoke for 30 minutes or until the shells peel back.
- Baking Directions: Preheat oven to 400℉. Next, place scored and soaked nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the shells peel back and the nut is tender.
- Stove-Top Directions: To roast chestnuts on the stove-top, add scored and soaked nuts to a cast-iron skillet and cover with approximately ⅓ cup water. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pan often until the water evaporates. Remove lid and continue to cook for 3 more minutes, until slightly charred.
- Air Fryer Directions: To make air fryer chestnuts, add scored and soaked nuts to preheated 390℉ air fryer, along with 1 cup of boiling water. Airfry for 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Steaming Instructions
- No matter what method you use to cook the chestnuts, the final step is to steam them. Steaming softens the shells and makes them easier to peel.To steam, add roasted nuts to a paper bag or to the center of a damp kitchen towel, then gather up the sides and tie them into a knot to make a bundle. Allow to steam for about 10 minutes, then peel and enjoy!
Notes
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- If while soaking the nuts some float to the surface, that indicates that those nuts are old or spoiled and should be tossed out.
- Chestnuts can spoil rather quickly in a warm environment. Make sure to store them in the coldest part of the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or until you're ready to roast them.
- Don't skip scoring them, otherwise the steam created inside the shell while being cooked will have no way to escape, causing them to explode like popcorn.
- You also don't want to skip soaking them. Doing so will make them harder to peel and the nut's textue will be dry and brittle.
- Chestnuts have a hairy, interior membrane as well, which should be peeled off.
- These roasted nuts should be peeled while they're still warm. If you wait until they've cooled off, they will be harder to peel.
- Roasted chestnuts should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- If you don't want to roast all of the chestnuts at once, you can freeze the rest. Chestnuts freeze well thanks to their thick shell.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg
