The following how-to tips for chestnuts were provided by Chestnut Charlie’s.

Roasting

To roast fresh chestnuts, cut a shallow X through the skin, place chestnuts in a covered pan and bake in the oven at 375 degrees until the nuts are tender. Time in the oven is 30 minutes, more or less, depending on moisture content (freshness) and size of nuts.

Some cooks may choose to roast chestnuts on a barbecue grill, microwave them for 1 to 2 minutes or roast them in an old-fashioned popcorn popper in the fireplace.

Roasted chestnuts peel easier when still hot, fresh out of the oven. They can blow up like popcorn, due to their moisture content, so don’t forget to score the skin with a knife.

Peeling for use

Chinese chestnuts, such as those grown by Chestnut Charlie’s, are sweeter and easier to peel than most European varieties. To peel them: Boil chestnuts in water for five minutes. Remove a few at a time, chop in half with a heavy knife and peel with your fingers. Sometimes the half kernel will pop out with a little squeeze. They peel the easiest fresh out of hot water.

Storage and handling

Chestnuts fall only in September and October. They are perishable and must be refrigerated to delay spoilage, principally from molding. If allowed to dry, the chestnut kernel — a living seed — will soon die and lose its natural enzyme protection against mold.

Fresh chestnuts are ideally stored at temperatures of 32 degrees at high humidity in mesh or other breathable bags. If stored in unvented plastic bags, the trapped moisture will hasten molding.

Chestnuts can be frozen, but they lose their characteristic texture and crispness.