We may talk about candied chestnuts, roasted chestnuts or hot chestnuts or even chestnut jam or cream, chestnuts are indeed the edible fruit that is found in our desserts, cakes and pancakes, purées, soups and soups or in accompaniment to poultry such as turkey during the end-of-year celebrations (chestnuts are toxic!). Chestnuts are therefore the flagship products of autumn-winter. The problem is that chestnut fruits are very fragile. Also, after collection in the forest or orchard, it is advisable to take good care of their conservation before considering adding them to your pumpkin or squash soup or making delicious gluten-free chestnut flour. To keep your chestnuts for a long time, here are all our valuable tips.
Warning: When picking them up, make sure the tree is a chestnut tree and not a horse chestnut tree! Chestnuts and chestnuts should never be confused…
1) Make sure the chestnuts are edible and in good condition before trying to store them
If you store chestnuts that are not edible because they are rotten or wormy, chestnuts in good condition are not expensive to store with them! To do a first sorting, spread the chestnuts out on the ground or on shelves in a cool, well-ventilated place. Brew them every day for 10 days and throw away the soft black chestnuts.
Furthermore, it is not worth never neglect the soaking stage before storing. It consists of immersing your finest fresh chestnuts (firm and shiny) in a bowl of cold water. Count here three volumes of water for two volumes of chestnuts. This will help destroy any parasites. In addition, it also allows you to quickly see if a chestnut is rotten. After 24h, take a look: those that float are probably rotten or pockmarked.
2) The basic technique for preserving chestnuts
Simple airtight jars will suffice for preservation. To these pots, however, remember to add new rubber washers. Start by peeling the chestnuts and then inserting them into the containers with two tablespoons of water. Close each jar tightly and sterilize them for 1h30 at 100°C.
3) Freezing for a very long preservation
Freezing in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator will preserve the flavor of these succulent fruits. And if you really enjoy them or have a large amount of them, it will additionally allow you to consume throughout the year. To do this, there are two techniques. The simplest is to peel them, incise them with a small knife at the rounded part and freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bags. Some, however, take care to boil water. After boiling, let the peeled and incised chestnuts simmer for 5 minutes. You can then remove the second skin and let cool before freezing. Thus, there is no need to peel them during a tedious peeling and thawing process.
4) Store chestnuts in sand
Like carrots, you can bury chestnuts in a crate of sand to keep them longer. It will only be necessary to make sure to put your crate in a cool place (cellar or garage type) for optimal conservation.
Grilled chestnuts are yours…a delight!
