How to Prepare Dry Chestnuts

Fresh chestnuts do not last as long in storage as dried chestnuts.

Chestnuts are a favorite for holiday treats, especially since the holiday season coincides with the chestnut harvest time. Chestnuts are tree nuts, but different from their culinary relations because chestnuts have more starch, less fat and more moisture than other tree nuts. These properties greatly reduce the shelf life of fresh chestnuts, and once the harvest season ends, the only way to find chestnuts is canned or dried. To prepare dried chestnuts, think of them as you would dried beans. They will require hydrating before you can cook with them. Once prepared, the dried chestnuts can be used like fresh chestnuts in cooked recipes.

Things You'll Need

• Colander
• Cooking pot
• Pressure cooker

Instructions

Cooking Pot

1. Cover the dried chestnuts with water in a large bowl and soak overnight or for eight hours.

2. Drain the chestnuts in a colander and rinse thoroughly. Transfer to a large cooking pot.

3. Fill the pot with water to cover the chestnuts with at least twice their volume of water and bring to a boil over medium heat.

4. Cover the pot and boil the chestnuts for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender.

5. Drain the chestnuts and use as you would fresh.

Pressure Cooker

1. Soak the chestnuts in water overnight.

2. Drain the soaked chestnuts in a colander.

3. Add the chestnuts to a pressure cooker with three times their volume of water.

4. Cook the chestnuts at high pressure for nine minutes or until tender.

5. Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and wait for the pressure to reduce naturally until you can open the lid.

References

• "Lorna Sass' Complete Vegetarian Kitchen: Where Good Flavors and Good Health Meet"; Lorna J. Sass; 2002
• "Starting with Ingredients"; Aliza Green; 2006
• "Biba's Northern Italian Cooking"; Biba Caggiano; 2002