How are chestnuts roasted?
Oh yes, we’re all familiar with the popular holiday song, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose,” but you’re not alone when you ask how to roast chestnuts. I get several calls during the holidays asking the same question. The most popular method of cooking chestnuts is roasting. Do not roast a chestnut until one or two holes have been punctured in each shell with an ice pick or knife. Or use a sharp knife to cut a 1/2-inch “X” on the flat side of each nut, cutting down to the meat (go through the smooth outer skin and textured inner skin.) If the shell is not punctured, steam pressure will build up and cause the nuts to explode either before or after they come out of the oven. To roast over fire: Prick each chestnut, as indicated above, before roasting. Using a long-handled, covered utensil with a perforated bottom – such as a popcorn popper or chestnut roaster – shake the utensil gently over the fire until the shells open and the nuts become toasty and b
