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Chestnuts are sweet, earthy treats cultivated in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Though you can eat some strains raw, cooking your chestnuts will bring out the rich flavors most people associate them with.
Steps
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Grab a handful of chestnuts. Five or six at a time will do. -
Chop each chestnut in half. Place it on a cutting board and cut it with a sharp knife. Cutting it in half will help it cook faster.Advertisement -
Cook them in the microwave on the "potato" setting. The chestnut is similar to the potato when it comes to cooking. This should take between 2-5 minutes, depending on the strength of your microwave. -
Serve. Enjoy these chestnuts plain and bite the nut directly off the shell or scoop it out with a small spoon first.
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Preheat your oven to 400ºF (205ºC). -
Cut an "X" shape into the flat side of each chestnut. Use a sharp knife to do this. This will make the chestnuts roast faster, allowing the steam to escape from the chestnuts. You can also just pierce each chestnut several times with a fork.
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Place the chestnuts on a baking sheet. You can also just place them right on the grill, with the cut side facing up. Sprinkle them lightly with water to help them roast.
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Roast the chestnuts for 15-20 minutes. Roast them until they're tender and the shell comes off easily. While they're roasting, use a spoon or spatula to move them around every few minutes so they don't burn. When they're done roasting, remove them from the oven. -
Crush their skins. Wait 2-3 minutes for the chestnuts to cool off and then wrap them in a towel and squeeze them until the skin is crushed. Leave them in the towel for another five minutes.
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Peel the nuts. Do this while they're still warm to make the process easier. Take out the inner skin along with the shell. If any nuts are hard to peel, you can heat them briefly for a few more minutes until they're ready.
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Serve. Enjoy these nuts on their own while they're nice and hot.
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Rinse the chestnuts. Rinse them off under cool water to remove any dirt.
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Score the shells. Score the shells before you place them in a pan.
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Put the nuts in a cast iron frying pan. Place the flat sides of the chestnuts down.
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Prepare the fire. Make sure that there's a bed of glowing coals that you can rest the pan on, whether you've lit a fireplace or a campfire. -
Place the pan on the coals for 5 minutes. This should be enough to roast one side of the chestnuts. Lightly shake the pan around every minute or so to distribute the heat. -
Turn the nuts over. After five minutes, use a potholder to remove the pan, roll over the nuts, and place them back on the fire.
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Roast the nuts for another 5 minutes. -
Serve. Once you've roasted the nuts, wait 2-3 minutes for them to cool down and enjoy them while they're nice and hot.
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Boil a pot of water. [1] X Research source
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Cut an X into one side of two cups of chestnuts. Use a sharp knife to cut the "X" shape into the chestnuts. This will make them boil more easily. [2] X Research source Boiling chestnuts won't make them quite as tasty or aromatic, but it's a great way to quickly soften them. -
Boil the chestnuts for 5-10 minutes.
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Let the chestnuts cool. Wait at least 2-3 minutes until the chestnuts are cool enough for you to handle them. -
Peel the shells and the skins off the nuts. [3] X Research source
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Serve. Enjoy these chestnuts plain or with 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of melted butter.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionAfter they're cooked, can I let the chestnuts cool off and store them in the freezer?Community AnswerOnce they've cooled, cooked and peeled chestnuts can be frozen for several months, stored in airtight wrapping.
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QuestionOnce cooked in the oven, can they be stored for three days, then reheated?Community AnswerIf they are kept with correct HACCP, they can be kept up to five days. Check on day four, as they can become bitter by day five.
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QuestionWill storing chestnuts in a vacuum-sealed container prolong their shelf life?Community AnswerVacuum-sealing usually adds 2-3 days to the standard shelf life. Even though it removes oxygen from the storage, anaerobic bacteria can still develop in a zero-oxygen environment.
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Tips
- If you don't have the "potato" setting, you can listen for the sizzle. Let them sizzle for about one minute.Thanks
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Warnings
- Do not put them in the microwave and just leave due to there being too little moisture. If they are left too long in the microwave they will burn and produce lots of smoke.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- a handful of chestnuts
- a knife
- a cutting board
- a microwave
References
About This Article
Article Summary
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To cook chestnuts in the oven, first, preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Then, cut an "X" shape into the flat side of each chestnut which will allow the steam to escape from the chestnuts and help them cook faster. Spread the chestnuts out on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with water. Roast the chestnuts in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Use a spoon or spatula to move them around every few minutes so they don't burn. When they're done, wait 2-3 minutes for the chestnuts to cool off. Next, wrap them in a towel and squeeze them to crush the skin. Peel the skin off and enjoy! If you have less time, you can also cook chestnuts in the microwave. First, chop 5-6 chestnuts in half. Then, put the nuts in a microwave safe bowl and cook them in your microwave for 2 to 5 minutes. Let the chestnuts cool for a few minutes before crushing and peeling off their skin. Serve and enjoy! To learn how to bake chestnuts, boil chestnuts, or roast chestnuts on an open fire, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "My success comes in 2 forms. 1. I now realize I have 3 Chinese chestnut trees, not American. 2. I will stop saving the chestnuts because now I know the nut will get bitter, has a short shelf life. I would like to share another mistake but don't have room." ..." more
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"My success comes in 2 forms. 1. I now realize I have 3 Chinese chestnut trees, not American. 2. I will stop saving the chestnuts because now I know the nut will get bitter, has a short shelf life. I would like to share another mistake but don't have room."
..."
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"I used Method 1 with great success! I live in Japan, and chestnut trees are everywhere to be found. I picked a whole lot and just followed the instructions. I did six at a time; cut them in half and microwaved them for only two minutes at 600 watts."
..."
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"I like these new recipes both of boiling and the toasting, which I usually do. The timing most likely helps me. The new idea about the cinnamon and the butter, too. I love it, and it's easy to make and delicious. Thank you for the help."
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"I make chestnut stuffing every year. I'm always looking for an easier way of cooking and peeling. I am definitely going to try to microwave them. Will update when done, thanks wikiHow!"
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"I was not too sure how long to boil them. Usually after I cook them with an X, they take about 20 minutes to cook. I am 1000 ft above sea level, so altitude and boiling point matter."
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