Have you ever wondered how to roast chestnuts? Surprisingly, there is no special equipment required. All it takes is 20 minutes and 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts.
I spotted them last week-end and I felt like a kid in a candy store!
Chestnuts!!!
The holidays would not be the holidays without them. So, if you have ever asked yourself how to roast chestnuts, I would like to show you my 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts.
I feel like I should include a disclaimer – as the saying goes, perfection is not of this world. Believe me when I tell you that I have tried all kinds of methods in my “how to roast chestnuts”quest. I have come to the conclusion that no one method is 100% perfect.
In other words, what I’m trying to say is that there will always be a few chestnuts that will get stuck to their shell. But despite that, the method I’m about to share with you is the best that I’ve found.
What do I need to make Roasted Chestnuts?
- Chestnuts! No surprise here. You can use as many chestnuts as you like. Make sure they are firm to the touch.
- Water. That’s right, our chestnuts are going to get boiled before getting baked.
As far as accessories are concerned, you need a cutting board, a sharp serrated knife, a large pot and a baking pan.
How to Roast Chestnuts:
1- Preheat oven to 425°F: A very hot oven is key for the chestnut to separate from its woodsy skin. Make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle.
2- Make an incision: Lay the chestnut flat on your cutting board. With a serrated knife, make a lengthwise slit down the entire middle surface, on the long side. Make sure you hold down the chestnut firmly on the cutting board (be careful not to cut yourself as the outer shell is very slippery).
You must also make sure that the incision cuts through the inner skin of the chestnuts. The incision will allow the steam to escape from the nut as it is being heated. If the chestnuts are not properly scored, they will explode in the oven… that’s a fact I’ve confirmed myself…
3- Boil the chestnuts: Place the chestnuts in a pot of cold water. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon and place on a shallow baking pan. This quick boil will create the perfect environment for steam to be created once they hit the hot oven.
4- Roasting chestnuts in oven: Place the chestnuts with the flat side down, the cut side up in a single layer in your baking pan. Roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. This time can vary based on the size of your chestnuts. I will give the pan a few shakes throughout the roasting time. You will notice that the shell splits open as they roast. The only way to know if they are cooked through is by eating one of the roasted chestnuts.
5-Wrap them up: Once you have obtained perfectly oven roasted chestnuts, remove from the oven and wrap them in a clean tea towel. Allow the wrapped chestnuts to sit in the towel for about 10-15 minutes.
Your perfectly roasted chestnuts are now ready to be served.
Tips, Tricks and Recipe Notes:
Chestnuts are easier to remove from their shell when they are warm. If you have leftover chestnuts, you can peel them and refrigerate them for a day or two. Your peeled chestnuts can also be frozen.
When purchasing look for chestnuts that
- have a glossy look;
- are unblemished;
- are firm to the touch and
- feel heavy for their size.
Always try to roast your store bought chestnuts within 2-3 days as the freshness will not last very long, even in the fridge. If you uncover moldy or bad chestnuts, they need to be discarded. Unfortunately, this can only be discovered once they are roasted and removed from the shell.
Recipe origins
Looking back, I think my whole family was obsessed with how to roast Italian chestnuts.
I remember my Mom trying to grow chestnut trees. She successfully started a few from seed. The trees had a couple of good, chestnut-full years, but unfortunately, the chestnuts would fall before they had a chance to completely ripen.
More often than not, the store bought chestnuts were roasted –oven or fire roasted. My parents had all the gadgets and the pots and the pans to make the best roasted chestnuts.
Sometimes, my mom would just boil them and we would have them as after school snacks.
Did you know that they make absolutely wonderful desserts once they are pureed? Have you ever had chocolate and chestnuts together? Italians desserts from the South are notorious for stuffing these gems in pastry dough.
Of course, chestnuts can just as easily be prepared in savory dishes. Did someone say stuffing?
I adapted this method on how to roast chestnuts from Chef John Mitzewich. Chef John uses no fancy gadgets or knives. Just a serrated knife, a pot and a simple roasting pan. Thanks Chef John!
The holidays would not be the holidays without chestnuts. I know they’ll be part of my Thanksgiving meal. Just 5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts and they can also be part of your Thanksgiving.
Thanks for allowing me the possibility to share some of my favorite recipes with all of you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones ♥
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have used this method to roast chestnuts, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
5 Easy Steps for Oven Roasted Chestnuts
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Chestnuts or as many as desired
- water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Place the oven rack in the middle.
- Make an incision by laying the chestnut flat on your cutting board. With a serrated knife, make a lengthwise slit down the entire middle surface on the long side. Make sure you hold down the chestnut firmly on the cutting board (be careful not to cut yourself as the outer shell is very slippery).
- Place the chestnuts in a pot of cold water. As soon as the water begins to boil, remove the chestnuts with a slotted spoon and place them on a shallow baking pan.
- Place the chestnuts with the flat side down, and the cut side up in a single layer in your baking pan. Roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
- Once you have obtained perfectly oven-roasted chestnuts, remove them from the oven and wrap them in a clean tea towel. Allow the wrapped chestnuts to sit in the towel for about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Rjl
Just as you said
They were pealed effortlessly
And tasted great
Richard
Maria
Thrilled to hear this worked for you! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Richard, appreciate it!
Ellen
I tried this recipe and they came out super dry and chewy! What did I do wrong???
Maria
Hi Ellen, Sorry to hear this. My guess is that they probably stayed in the oven too long. Perhaps your chestnuts were small?
Matt
I had never eaten roasted chestnuts until today. The recipe worked great. I did everything but the tea cloth, didn’t know what that was. The process was so easy and the nuts were delicious! Peeling/shelling them was a bit of a challenge.
Lubna
On a Christmas eve, I’ve just tried this recipe and it was perfect. All chestnuts pieces opened easily. Delicious! we were not patient to wait for it wrapped in the tea towel, took out after less than 5 minutes and was still great. Thank you!
Maria
How wonderful Lubna! Merry Christmas!
Cindy
Cut myself twice and still could not cut a slit in the chestnut.
Maria
Oh no! I hope you are ok! Are your knives properly sharpened?
Jeffery
I found carefully using a cerated knife, it helped puncture the skin to then make a better slice. They are in the oven now, so TBC….
Maria
Thanks for sharing Jeffrey!
tia
So excited to have found this! Finally after all these years perfect chestnuts without ruining my fingertips trying to peel them! In our family we dip them in sherry and then salt (sherry helps salt stick and adds a nutty flavor). Can’t wait to share with the rest of the family!
Maria
Oh my Tia… that sounds delicious! So thrilled to hear the roasted chestnuts turned out great! Thanks for stopping by, appreciate it!
LeelA
Never had a more successful batch of evenly roasted chestnuts!!! Boiling them made all the difference and ofcourse wrapping them in the tea towel too!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
Maria
How wonderful Leela! I am thrilled to hear you got great results with this chestnut recipe! Thanks so much for stopping by, appreciate it!
Frankie dee
Hi Maria, I would like to thank you for taking your time to help us with this old holiday favorite, your water bath I believe makes all the difference, the only thing I would add is I noticed the ones I cut deeper seemed to open better and away from the husk. The were the best I had in years, reminded me of getting them from 34 st chestnut carts in Manhattan…yum
Maria
How wonderful Frankie! So glad this chestnut recipe worked well for you. Those street vendors had the best chestnuts! Thanks so much for the tip and thanks so much for taking the time to share, appreciate it!
david ho
This recipe was EXCELLENT.
Some minor suggestions:
– FLAT chestnuts are easier (i.e. less dangerous) to cut. Also, if you place the chestnut into a cutting board w/a hole, the hole will help keep it from moving (i.e. again, less dangerous).
– Once the water boils, leave the chestnuts in there for several minutes. You can’t oversoak them.
– At the end, wetting the tea towel keeps them moister as they cool off.
AG
Works perfectly every time! I only wish there was a way to pick out the bad ones before the trouble of roasting
Maria
Thanks so much AG. I’m glad this chestnut recipe worked for you. I absolutely agree! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Donna Lucarelli
Perfect chestnuts every time. This is the best and easiest method. I have been cooking for 45 years. And never thought boiling would be good idea. It works !!
Maria
Thanks so much Donna! Buon Natale!!!