‘Tis the season for roasted chestnuts. But don’t fret! This step by step video will walk you through an easy, pain-free way to peel them and then roast them up. Happy Holla-dayz!
I’ve been avoiding roasted chestnuts my whole life. I associated them with pain.
I have a very clear image of my father sitting next to our Christmas tree brandishing a nut cracker and an intense scowl attempting to show a chestnut who was in charge.
Merry? Christmas…?
But I’m here to tell you, it doesn’t have to go down like that. You can enjoy those sweet, chewy, meaty gems his holiday season with your fingers and dignity intact.
There are a couple of popular peeling methods circling the internet. I failed at all of them. Miserably. Except this one…
An added bonus to this method is that you don’t have to suffer through peeling a chestnut only to find it’s rotten and wormy inside. I’m calling that a #win.
This video will walk you through the easiest way (by far) I’ve found to peel chestnuts. {Please watch cuz I cleaned my stove and put on mascara just for you.}
Help Twitter discover the beauty of chestnuts.Click To TweetDon’t worry about burning your fingers. I’m a total wuss so if I could do it like that, anyone can. You really do want to peel them while they’re hot.
Now that we’ve got them peeled let’s talk about this glaze. My tastes usually lean toward the savory side. I would’ve expected someone like me to be roasting chestnuts dry with some rosemary and lots of salt. But there I was, in my kitchen, melting butter, reaching for the amaretto and digging around amongst the bitters. The result is a delicately sweet nut that smells like cake when you’re roasting it and tastes like Italian pastry when you’re done.
- 1 lb chestnuts
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 tablespoons raw honey
- 1/2 teaspoon orange bitters
- 1 ounce amaretto
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Half, parboil and peel chestnuts (details in video.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil, parchment or a silicone mat.
- In a pot, melt butter and honey over a medium low flame.
- Add bitters, amaretto, vanilla and nutmeg and stir for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add chestnuts and stir to coat well.
- Pour chestnuts onto lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
- Roast on the top rack for 6 minutes, turn baking sheet and then roast for another 6 minutes.
- Stir and check for color. Continue to roast for another 3 to 6 minutes, until they turn golden brown.
- Best served warm.
These come out pretty buttery. Delicious but a little slick. If you’re putting them out at cocktail time, I recommend making toothpicks and napkins readily available so your guests aren’t forced to lick their fingers (although, secretly, they’d be happy to!)
Still looking for more nuts? Try my Bacon Wrapped Tropical Nuts, Lavender Orange Glazed Cashews and Hot Candied Walnuts.
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