Roasting Chestnuts

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping at your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.
~ “The Christmas Song”
by Mel Torme and Bob Wells

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.
The Vegetarian Society has a delicious recipe for Chestnut and Pumpkin Seed Croustade Cups here.

~Diane Laney Fitzpatrick

Diane Laney Fitzpatrick is a former newspaper reporter and editor who writes about children, parents and families. She enjoys the simple life in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, two sons and a daughter.