How To Cook Chestnuts With 6 Easy Methods
How to cook chestnuts: 5 easy methods to enjoy these traditional fruits with step-by-step instructions that make it easy and so tasty.
Equipment
- cast-iron pan or
- fire-safe popcorn popper
- Baking tray (for oven roasting)
- Saucepan (for boiling)
Ingredients
- 2 cup ready-to-eat chestnuts ¼ - ½ cup of cooked chestnuts per person. For 4 people, you will need 1 pound of raw chestnuts without shells or 1.5 pounds of raw chestnuts in shell. Thie yields about 12 ounces (or 0.75 pounds) of cooked, shelled nuts, which equals about 2 cups.
- butter optional for dipping
- salt
Instructions
Method One: On an open fire
- Soak chestnuts in water for ½ hour, dry with a towel, then make a slit twice, making an X on top of each chestnut with a sharp knife before cooking them. (Soaking and slitting the nuts will prevent them from exploding while cooking.) This will make them easy to peel too, as the corners will lift while roasting,
- A cast-iron fry pan, preferably with a long handle, is the best choice, or use a popcorn popper with a lid, so if they burst, you will not get any hot bits flying out at you!
- They will take about 12 - 20 minutes to cook. (Depends on the size, cooking pan, and how hot the fire is.)
Method Two: Oven-roasted
- The easiest method is to roast them in the oven at 220°C/425°F on a baking tray.
- Simply prepare the nuts the same way as above, soaking and slitting shells.
- Pop them on the tray for about 20 minutes in the oven.
Method Three: Boiling
- Chestnuts can also be boiled, and this is the best method if you want a chestnut purée for use in a recipe.
- To cook in this manner, simply wash the chestnut under running water.
- Then cut each chestnut in half. Checking for any signs of worms as often you will find them in fresh fruits, shows they are organic!
- Pop them in a pan of water.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes.
- When cooked, remove the shells.
- When cool they can be used as you want.
- A chestnut puree can be used in a lovely chestnut gateau (recipe link in notes).
Method Four: Pan-roasted
- Prepare as above, soaking and slicing the shell.
- Pan-roasted chestnuts can be achieved by placing the nuts in a heavy-bottomed pan like a cast-iron pan.
- Heat the burner first at a medium-low heat.
- Place chestnuts in the pan with a little water, then cook the nuts covered.
- Stir the nuts often to turn them to allow them to cook evenly. Takes about 20 minutes.
Method Five: Air Fryer
- Starts the same as the other methods by soaking and slitting the shells.
- Then place in the air fryer basket, if you have one, at 400 degrees F for 7-10 minutes.
- Otherwise, place them on the rack and cook at 400 degrees F for 7-10 minutes, turning and checking them every 2-3 minutes.
Method Six: Microwave -the quickest way!
- Prepare chestnuts as instructed above.
- Place prepared chestnuts into the microwave. A lid may be advisable, or cover with a damp kitchen towel, made of cloth, not a paper towel.
- Microwave for 3-5 minutes, checking after 3 minutes to see how soft the inside nut meat is. Cook in increments if more is needed.
After using any of the methods here, you can dip the chestnut meat in melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
Notes
- 1 pound of whole, fresh chestnuts without shells or 1.5 pounds of raw chestnuts in shell yields about 12 ounces (or 0.75 pounds) of cooked, shelled nuts, which equals about 2 cups.
- You can also buy chestnut puree in cans from supermarkets or specialty food stores, handy at Christmas time!
- Soak the chestnuts in water for up to an hour to make slicing the shell easier, before cooking.
- Recipes with chestnut puree: Chocolate Chestnut Cake and Holiday Yule Log.
- After using any of the methods here, you can dip the chestnut meat in melted butter and sprinkle with salt.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 346mgVitamin A: 19IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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