During the colder months, as soon as chestnuts hit the stores, I buy some. If I am short on time, I roast them in the oven or if I am planning to use them in recipes, I boil them in water. But, if I want to have fun with my family and friends, we roast them on an open fire, grill, or fireplace, especially during the holiday season. If you are new to cooking chestnuts, be sure to check out my recipes on Oven Roasted Chestnuts, Air Fried Chestnuts, and Boiled Chestnuts as well. If you are roasting them in the fireplace, you might want to invest in a chestnut roaster (affiliate link) to make it safer and easier to roast. I use a cast iron skillet as I already have one but if you are serious about it, it is a good idea to invest in these tools. While a paring knife or a sharp serrated knife works, you can also invest in a chestnut knife to make the scoring easier and safer. You can find fresh chestnuts in grocery stores and farmers’ markets during the late fall and winter months.
What type of chestnuts should I buy? If you can get your hands on them, buy American chestnuts or Italian chestnuts. I find peeling these to be easier than Chinese chestnuts. What should I pay attention to when buying chestnuts? If you can, pick chestnuts one by one, making sure that they are free of blemishes and roughly the same size (to ensure even roasting). They should be moist but not wet. Examine them to make sure there is no mold.
However, if they are not fully opened and peeling is hard, let them steam for a few minutes. To do so: Finally, be patient when peeling chestnuts. It is normal that some will break and some will be hard to peel. It is all a part of having a good time by the fire and enjoying the process.
