Best Roasted Chestnuts Oven Or Stove Top Recipes

CAST IRON PAN-ROASTED CHESTNUTS ON A STOVETOP

Steps:

• Score your chestnuts. See pictures and instructions further up in article.
• Turn temperature on stove burner to medium heat (5 on our stove). Place all ingredients in pan with lid on.
• Cook covered for 10 minutes, shaking pan every minute, so nuts cook evenly and don't cook to much on one spot. The water also helps ensure even heating by steaming/boiling them and preventing them from drying out too much.
• At the end of the initial 10 minutes cooking with the lid on, the water will boil out/evaporate, and the inside of your pan will start getting a bit smoky. The nut shells will start to get a bit charred which creates the slight smoke, replicating the smoky flavor of an open fire! Shake the pan constantly at this point to keep things from getting too smoky or setting off your indoor fire alarms.
• Uncover pan. Stir nuts and/or shake pan constantly while uncovered on heating element for 2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat, and place lid back on pan. Let nuts cool for 5 minutes with lid on. The nuts will continue to slowly cook as they cool down as long as the lid stays on. The lid also helps trap some of the moisture.
• After 5 minutes, remove lid and let the chestnuts cool down to eating temperature. You can even serve them in the cast iron skillet you cooked them in for a unique presentation.
• Another alternative is to let the nuts cool down, then remove them from their shells before serving. However, in our opinion that's not quite as authentic to the original roasted chestnuts of yore, which were served shells-on. Plus, serving the chestnuts shells-on makes for a more involved dining experience by forcing those eating them to slow down and talk, rather than wolfing them down.

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Slit chestnuts: Place one chestnut on a cutting board with the flat side down (rounded side up). Grasp the chestnuts firmly between your thumb and pointer finger and use a serrated knife to make a long slit across the rounded side of the nut. Be sure you cut all the way through the shell. Then make a second cut, forming an x" on the rounded side of chestnut. Making a slit in the chestnut is essential to ensure they don't explode in the oven and will make them easier to peel.
• Soak: Place chestnuts in a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak overnight or for 10-12 hours. (Or, see my notes for a quicker soak option).
• Roast: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Remove the chestnuts from the water and pat them dry. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet with the flat side down and slit side facing up. Roast chestnuts for 30-35 minutes or until you see that the skins have pulled back and the nut inside has softened.
• Steam: As soon as you remove them from the oven, place the hot chestnuts on a damp kitchen towel, lifting the ends of the towel to form a bag. Twist the bag closed and squeeze the chestnuts inside firmly (you should hear them crackle). Let them sit in the towel for 10-15 minutes. This allows any extra steam to escape and will aid in the peeling process.
• Peel: Once the chestnuts have had a chance to steam, you can start removing the skins. It's easiest to remove the skins when the nuts are hot so remove the shell immediately by gently pulling back on the "x" and peeling away hairy, papery skin around the chestnut to reveal the yellow nut inside. Discard any nuts that seems gooey or look like they are spoiled inside.
• Enjoy: Eat them plain, serve them with soup or pasta, or store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

ROASTED CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Cut an X in the top of each chestnut but be very careful not to cut into the flesh.
• Place the chestnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool the nuts until you can handle them and then peel them.
• Just before serving heat the oil in a fry pan large enough to hold the nuts in a single layer.
• Stir fry until light golden brown, remove from pan and with a paper towel remove any excess oil.
• Add the apple cider/ liquer, use high heat and reduce to apprx half.
• Return Chestnuts to pan, stir to glaze, add salt& pepper.
• Serve hot.

ROASTED CHESTNUTS OVEN OR STOVE TOP

Steps:

• Toss chestnuts with oil.
• In a dry pan over low heat heat pan till hot, then add chestnuts cover and stir every few minutes for 15 minutes.
• Add water and continue to roast, covered and stirring until water is evaporated and chestnuts are tender about 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with salt.
• Or Oven method:.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Roast unseasoned chestnuts for 20 to 30 minutes or until chestnuts are tender, easy to peel, golden brown in color, and the shells are beginning to open. For even roasting, gently stir to turn them over after about 10 minutes. The sliced part of the shells will curl back.
• Remove the nuts from the oven, make a mound of them in an old towel, wrap them up, squeeze them hard -- they should crackle -- and let them sit for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile open a bottle of vino, pour yourself a glass, Peel nuts when they are cool enough to handle, and serve with salt if desired. Because hot chestnuts peel easier than cold ones.
• Enjoy!