How to prepare chestnuts with ease
What’s not to love about chestnuts. They’re good for your digestion, high in nutrition and a healthy source of energy. They promote healthy brain functions, keeps your bones strong, and can even help prevent heart disease. But most importantly, they just taste great!
Preparing them, however, can be a fuss. These tasty nuggets don’t come in a package that’s so easy to peel. They’ve got shells that are hard to crack and a clingy layer underneath doesn’t seem to ever want to go away. These common methods are what you need to know before attempting to crack open chestnuts (and to avoid frustration doing so).
Roast them first
Don’t go straight to peeling chestnuts until you cook them first. The first way to go about it is to roast them. To do so, score an ‘x’ on the flat side of the chestnuts and soak them in water to keep them moist. Next, preheat an oven at 400 F, place the chestnuts on a baking sheet and roast them for approximately 30 minutes until the shells pull apart.
Steam them instead
If you’re not a fan of ovens and scoring, steaming is also an option. For this method, put the chestnuts in a steamer basket and place it over a pot of boiling water. Cover the pot and cook the chestnuts for approximately 20 minutes until they become tender.
Now sit down and start peeling
Whichever option you choose, the key to peeling chestnuts is to keep them at a temperature that’s just right; too hot and you can barely handle it, too cold and the hairy skin clings right back to the nuts making it harder to peel (yes, even after all you went through).
Unfortunately, cooking chestnuts is a must before you can enjoy these delicious nuggets.
Want an easier option? Try the V.T.Fresh Microwave Chestnut bags!
The Y.V.Fresh Microwavable Chestnuts bags allow you to cook chestnuts in 2 minutes so you can enjoy them faster without the fuss.
Step 1, place the bag in the microwave and heat it for 1 minute. Step 2, flip the bag and heat it again for another minute. Step 3, peel and enjoy. Grab one at select Victorian Coles today and try them out!
