Roasting & Shelling Chestnuts

Faith's notes: Shelling chestnuts can be a problem. If you let the inner skin dry after you peel the outer shell off, it seems impossible to remove that skin. The easiest way I have found to get nice clean WHOLE chestnuts to add to stuffing or other dishes is to first score the flat side with an "x", then start a small pot of boiling water. Add just one chestnut at a time to the water and let it boil for about two minutes. The shell, where you scored the x, will start to curl.

Take this first chestnut out and drop another chestnut in. Peel the first chestnut by peeling the shell AND the inner skin, starting from the scored x. If the inner skin does not come away with the shell, stop peeling the shell and, with your fingernail or knife, peel the inner skin up to the shell. If this inner skin dries on the chestnut, it will be difficult to remove. This must be done while the chestnut is still HOT. If the chestnut cools too much, drop the chestnut back into the water for another minute or so and continue as above. Continue adding just one chestnut at a time to the boiling water. Leaving them longer than a few minutes will start to cook them, making the nut soft and starchy. The chestnut is then much harder to peel, so don't try to take a shortcut and add a bunch of chestnuts to the water at once. It will take some time to shell a pound of chestnuts this way, but you will be rewarded with whole, clean chestnuts.

To deal with this problem, Girolami Farms, located in Stockton, California, suggests curing the chestnuts first. I have not yet tried this technique. According to their web site, "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." Here is their instructions for curing chestnuts before cooking and peeling:

Curing Chestnuts to Make Them Easier to Peel
from Girolami Farms

"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."

Oven Roasted Chestnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

With a sharp knife, make a slit (or score an "x") through both the smooth outer shell and the textured inner skin. This will allow the steam pressure to escape as the nut heats up.

Place the nuts in a shallow pan. 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.

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. If you let the chestnuts cool, the inner skin tends to stick to the chestnut. I have not tried the curing process mentioned above before roasting them.

Roasted chestnuts make a great snack.

Storing Chestnuts 

Chestnuts should be stored with great care and attention. Unlike most other nuts, they are highly perishable. They are comprised of about 40­50% water and thus, if not stored properly, can become prone to mold. Listed below are some tips for storing chestnuts. The shelf life can be extended dramatically if stored properly.

1. Fresh chestnuts are ideally stored at temperatures of 32F at high humidity in mesh or other breathable bags.

2. Stored properly in the refrigerator, they can have a shelf life of approximately 4 weeks.

3. Chestnuts can be frozen once they are peeled.