Comments on: Fresh Chestnuts – Roasting them; Peeling them; Putting them in the Stuffing http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/ in Kitchen and Garden and all around the House Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:52:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Claudia http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-4573 Claudia Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:15:22 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-4573 FYI - I will share my stuffing recipe: Sourdough French bread toasted, wetted and wrung out. Sauteed celery, onions and mushrooms Raisins Chestnuts Egg Sherry Melted butter Salt and pepper The amounts of above depend on size of bird. Don't stuff bird too tightly. Bake rest in separate baking dish. FYI – I will share my stuffing recipe:

Sourdough French bread toasted, wetted and wrung out.
Sauteed celery, onions and mushrooms
Raisins
Chestnuts
Egg
Sherry
Melted butter
Salt and pepper
The amounts of above depend on size of bird. Don’t stuff bird too tightly. Bake rest in separate baking dish.

]]> By: Claudia http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-4572 Claudia Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:37:11 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-4572 Many years ago I came up with a stuffing recipe that included chestnuts. Ever since then I have been looking for ways to make shelling chestnuts easier. A few years ago my brother gave me a chestnutter. I have looked up ways online to relieve the chestnuts of tbeir shells ever since. Yours is the first one I came across that makes sense and looks like it will make life easier for me at Thanksgiving time. If they didn't make my stuffing taste so much better I would have given up on them years ago. Shelling chestnuts will never be easy, only easier (perhaps). My chestnuts are soaking now. (I have bookmarked this page.) <em>Welcome, Claudia, Happy Thanksgiving! May your chestnut peeling be easy and quick! One further refinement I have to/will add to the soak trick: Especially in the beginning of the season when the nuts are fresh and (for chestnuts) juicy, it's best to let them dry out again a bit after scoring before you put them in the oven. Exposed inner membrane has to dry out - before the nuts do - as they roast.</em> Many years ago I came up with a stuffing recipe that included chestnuts. Ever since then I have been looking for ways to make shelling chestnuts easier. A few years ago my brother gave me a chestnutter. I have looked up ways online to relieve the chestnuts of tbeir shells ever since. Yours is the first one I came across that makes sense and looks like it will make life easier for me at Thanksgiving time. If they didn’t make my stuffing taste so much better I would have given up on them years ago. Shelling chestnuts will never be easy, only easier (perhaps). My chestnuts are soaking now. (I have bookmarked this page.)

Welcome, Claudia,

Happy Thanksgiving! May your chestnut peeling be easy and quick! One further refinement I have to/will add to the soak trick: Especially in the beginning of the season when the nuts are fresh and (for chestnuts) juicy, it’s best to let them dry out again a bit after scoring before you put them in the oven. Exposed inner membrane has to dry out – before the nuts do – as they roast.

]]> By: George http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-4561 George Sat, 19 Nov 2011 13:32:21 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-4561 I find that making the x is easiest (and safest) using an electic knife. <em>Welcome, George, and thanks for the tip; I knew there had to be SOMETHING electric knives were good for!</em> I find that making the x is easiest (and safest) using an electic knife.

Welcome, George, and thanks for the tip; I knew there had to be SOMETHING electric knives were good for!

]]> By: Damead http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-3853 Damead Mon, 27 Dec 2010 02:11:17 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-3853 I - a sensitive-fingered man - have a theory why the designer made the business handle of the chestnutter shorter. If I were using it, after inserting the chestnut, I'd put the cutter on a cutting board short handle down and press down on the big handle. You get great leverage using your upper body weight instead of a powerful grip. You probably could cut the chestnut into quarters if the blade were long enough. <em>Hi Damead, Welcome to the blog and thanks for the interesting idea. I'm sure it would work fine and might be a great solution for anyone, male or female, who had arthritic hands - me, for instance, more and more as the years go by. But I'm afraid no improvement on the chestnutter will help in the sensitivity department; the nuts will still need to be peeled while hot, which is where women (and chefs) seem to have an advantage. Leslie</em> I – a sensitive-fingered man – have a theory why the designer made the business handle of the chestnutter shorter. If I were using it, after inserting the chestnut, I’d put the cutter on a cutting board short handle down and press down on the big handle. You get great leverage using your upper body weight instead of a powerful grip. You probably could cut the chestnut into quarters if the blade were long enough.

Hi Damead,

Welcome to the blog and thanks for the interesting idea. I’m sure it would work fine and might be a great solution for anyone, male or female, who had arthritic hands – me, for instance, more and more as the years go by. But I’m afraid no improvement on the chestnutter will help in the sensitivity department; the nuts will still need to be peeled while hot, which is where women (and chefs) seem to have an advantage.
Leslie

]]> By: Anne Bloomenthal http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-2030 Anne Bloomenthal Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:30:32 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-2030 Based on adapting the suggestions above, I found that peeling chestnuts can be much easier than past experiences (requiring no special implements). If you're OK with ending up with halves (and some crumbles) of boiled chestnuts (instead of whole roasted ones), here are instructions, based on what I did: * pour boiling water over them, let them sit about 1 hour * cut them in half (I didn't see any consistent difference between lengthwise or crosswise) * boil for about 8 minutes (I did 10 minutes from start to finish, don't know how long it actually took to get to boiling) * remove from water with tongs, place on dishtowel * grab shell "from behind" with dishtowel, block front with tongs, squeeze gently Many will simply pop right out. If not, both the outer and inner shells are much more flexible and easy to handle than from roasting (and not as hot on the fingers). When they get harder to peel, reheat to boiling again Based on adapting the suggestions above, I found that peeling chestnuts can be much easier than past experiences (requiring no special implements). If you’re OK with ending up with halves (and some crumbles) of boiled chestnuts (instead of whole roasted ones), here are instructions, based on what I did:
* pour boiling water over them, let them sit about 1 hour
* cut them in half (I didn’t see any consistent difference between lengthwise or crosswise)
* boil for about 8 minutes (I did 10 minutes from start to finish, don’t know how long it actually took to get to boiling)
* remove from water with tongs, place on dishtowel
* grab shell “from behind” with dishtowel, block front with tongs, squeeze gently
Many will simply pop right out. If not, both the outer and inner shells are much more flexible and easy to handle than from roasting (and not as hot on the fingers). When they get harder to peel, reheat to boiling again

]]> By: Leslie http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-1803 Leslie Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-1803 Hi Greenpa Thanks <strong>so</strong> much for pointing everyone to the nifty badgersett video (and website in general). That looks like a terrific way to peel what they describe and show as "halved, parboiled" chestnuts. Makes perfect sense as soon as you see it since it's almost the same principle as blanching almonds: drop the raw almonds in boiling water, let them sit a minute and the nuts will pop right out of the skins when you squeeze them between your fingers. No more fussing with boiled chestnuts - unless they have to be whole. Now here's hoping they come up with something as easy for peeling the roasted ones! Hi Greenpa

Thanks so much for pointing everyone to the nifty badgersett video (and website in general). That looks like a terrific way to peel what they describe and show as “halved, parboiled” chestnuts. Makes perfect sense as soon as you see it since it’s almost the same principle as blanching almonds: drop the raw almonds in boiling water, let them sit a minute and the nuts will pop right out of the skins when you squeeze them between your fingers. No more fussing with boiled chestnuts – unless they have to be whole. Now here’s hoping they come up with something as easy for peeling the roasted ones!

]]> By: Greenpa http://leslieland.com/2009/11/fresh-chestnuts-%e2%80%93-roasting-them-peeling-them-putting-them-in-the-stuffing/comment-page-1/#comment-1801 Greenpa Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:15:34 +0000 http://leslieland.com/?p=4596#comment-1801 There is, REALLY, a far simpler way now! Take a look at badgersett.com. There is, REALLY, a far simpler way now! Take a look at badgersett.com.

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