What is the best way to prepare chestnuts?!


Question: Hi Rain, I've seen you around YA --- just wanted to wish you HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I think the oven works best, it's easy & convenient. But there are many ways:

Open-Fire Roasting Chestnuts
If you’re roasting chestnuts over a fire, you’ll need a fire stand or something to keep the chestnuts from the direct fire. Never place chestnuts directly on a flame.

To prepare the chestnuts, carefully carve an X into each chestnut shell with a sharp knife to keep them from bursting as they heat up. To safely make the cuts, place the nuts on top of a dishtowel or other soft surface to absorb the pressure of the knife. Place the scored chestnuts in a corn popper, grill basket, a chestnut roasting pan, or a skillet that has had 25-30 holes drilled in the bottom. An easier alternative to these is to wrap the chestnuts up in a large sheet of foil and poke several small holes in the top.

Place the foil wrapper or pan on the fire stand, about 5 inches from the flame or embers.

Roast until chestnuts are tender, golden brown, and the shells are beginning to open, about 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan or packet occasionally.

Let the chestnuts cool just slightly, until you’re able to pick them up, but still warm. Peel the shell away and serve.

Grill Roasting
Chestnuts can be roasted on a grill, too. Using a pan or foil packet and preparing the chestnuts as described above, place the chestnuts on a preheated 400-degree grill and close the lid. Roast for 20-30 minutes, shaking the pan or packet occasionally.

Oven-Roasting Chestnuts
Cut an X into the chestnut shells, as described above. Place the chestnuts, X-side up, in a shallow baking pan, or cookie sheet. Place in a 400-degree oven and roast until chestnuts are tender, golden brown, and the shells are beginning to open, about 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Other Methods for Cooking Chestnuts
If you want the taste of chestnuts for your stuffing or other side dish and don’t want to be bothered with the roasting process, chestnuts can be boiled, microwaved or cooked on the stove top.

To boil chestnuts, place raw, scored chestnuts in a pan of water and cook for 25-30 minutes. When peeling, you may find that the kernels fall apart. Boiling chestnuts is best for recipes that call for chopped chestnut kernels.

To cook chestnuts in a microwave, put raw, scored chestnuts on a dish, and cook for about 30 seconds on high.

How to Enjoy Chestnuts
After peeling the chestnuts, sprinkle them with a little bit of salt and have a few with a glass of cider or a cup of hot chocolate.

Chestnuts are also delicious chopped and added to stuffing or green beans, vegetable casseroles, and rice dishes.


Answers: Hi Rain, I've seen you around YA --- just wanted to wish you HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I think the oven works best, it's easy & convenient. But there are many ways:

Open-Fire Roasting Chestnuts
If you’re roasting chestnuts over a fire, you’ll need a fire stand or something to keep the chestnuts from the direct fire. Never place chestnuts directly on a flame.

To prepare the chestnuts, carefully carve an X into each chestnut shell with a sharp knife to keep them from bursting as they heat up. To safely make the cuts, place the nuts on top of a dishtowel or other soft surface to absorb the pressure of the knife. Place the scored chestnuts in a corn popper, grill basket, a chestnut roasting pan, or a skillet that has had 25-30 holes drilled in the bottom. An easier alternative to these is to wrap the chestnuts up in a large sheet of foil and poke several small holes in the top.

Place the foil wrapper or pan on the fire stand, about 5 inches from the flame or embers.

Roast until chestnuts are tender, golden brown, and the shells are beginning to open, about 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan or packet occasionally.

Let the chestnuts cool just slightly, until you’re able to pick them up, but still warm. Peel the shell away and serve.

Grill Roasting
Chestnuts can be roasted on a grill, too. Using a pan or foil packet and preparing the chestnuts as described above, place the chestnuts on a preheated 400-degree grill and close the lid. Roast for 20-30 minutes, shaking the pan or packet occasionally.

Oven-Roasting Chestnuts
Cut an X into the chestnut shells, as described above. Place the chestnuts, X-side up, in a shallow baking pan, or cookie sheet. Place in a 400-degree oven and roast until chestnuts are tender, golden brown, and the shells are beginning to open, about 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Other Methods for Cooking Chestnuts
If you want the taste of chestnuts for your stuffing or other side dish and don’t want to be bothered with the roasting process, chestnuts can be boiled, microwaved or cooked on the stove top.

To boil chestnuts, place raw, scored chestnuts in a pan of water and cook for 25-30 minutes. When peeling, you may find that the kernels fall apart. Boiling chestnuts is best for recipes that call for chopped chestnut kernels.

To cook chestnuts in a microwave, put raw, scored chestnuts on a dish, and cook for about 30 seconds on high.

How to Enjoy Chestnuts
After peeling the chestnuts, sprinkle them with a little bit of salt and have a few with a glass of cider or a cup of hot chocolate.

Chestnuts are also delicious chopped and added to stuffing or green beans, vegetable casseroles, and rice dishes.

Roast them on an open fire!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you & yours!

This time of year, ya gotta roast those chestnuts on an open fire ...

roasting them is the answer to your question, if you have a fish cage with your barbaque, use that, if not then get some wire and bend it to hold the chestnuts and make sure you have a little wire left over for a handle then put them over a open fire, 3 wire coathangers will do the trick

When my husband was stationed in Germany we bought chestnuts after we saw a man roasting them in a barrel and selling them. We pre-heated the oven, placed the nuts on a tray and placed them in the oven. After a few minutes, it was like the 4th of July. We opened the oven and the nuts flew all over the kitchen - we did not know you have to cut a slit in the nut for air to escape - we never roasted them again.

I think they roast them. But not sure never had them before.





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