How to Peel Chestnuts in 5 Steps

Chestnuts are nuts that come from the chestnut tree. They have a thick, dark brown shell (which you can leave on during roasting) and a sweet, nutty taste and soft texture you can enjoy after removing both the outer shell and the thin inner skin that exists between the shell and the nut. Chestnuts are a good source of calcium, potassium, and vitamin C, and are low in fat and naturally gluten-free. You can harvest chestnuts from mid-September to November, so people commonly associate them with the winter season.

You can find fresh chestnuts at many grocery stores or farmers’ markets seasonally and jarred chestnuts year-round in specialty food stores. Here are helpful tips and tricks for selecting chestnuts:

1. 1. Feel the weight. Choose a chestnut that feels heavy for its size. If it feels hollow or dried out, you should pass. It’s all about the weight-to-size ratio, though, so if the chestnut is big and feels as heavy as expected, there’s no guarantee it will be good. Use your best judgment and get a few extras just in case.
2. 2. Check the shell. You want the shell to be hard and shiny as opposed to cracking, chipping, or flaking off from the flesh of the chestnut.
3. 3. Give it a shake. If the chestnut is still in its outer shell, give it a shake. Rattling is a sign it’s an old chestnut and one you don’t want to purchase.
4. 4. Be mindful of the container. Chestnuts are prone to molding if you store them in plastic bags or plastic containers. Sometimes you can see mold on the shell, but other times you won’t see any mold until you crack it open. It’s a good idea to buy loose chestnuts whenever possible.

The dark outer shells of raw chestnuts are challenging to remove, so it's best to cook chestnuts before peeling. Follow these steps to successfully peel chestnuts:

1. 1. Remove the chestnut from the seed pod. If harvesting chestnuts, use gloves to carefully remove the chestnut pod, a spiky outer shell that is inedible.
2. 2. Wash and dry your chestnuts. Using a colander, wash and dry the chestnuts in a sink.
3. 3. Place your chestnuts on a cutting board. Cut the shell of the chestnuts with a sharp knife, either a paring knife or serrated knife. The traditional way involves making a small X on the flat side of the chestnut, but you can also simply cut straight across the flat side.
4. 4. Cook the chestnuts. You can roast, boil, or steam chestnuts. Place chestnuts on a baking sheet and put them in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes to roast. If steaming, place the chestnuts in a steamer basket over boiling water for about 20 minutes. To boil, place the nuts in boiling water for about 8 minutes; this won’t cook them all the way, but it will make them soft enough to shell.
5. 5. Peel the chestnuts. Once the shells are soft and cool enough to handle, you can peel them with your fingers. Then you can serve them, or cook them as part of a more involved dish.

Preparing, cooking, and peeling chestnuts is a laborious project. Consider these tips to ease the process:

1. 1. Cut where you feel most comfortable. Some recipes may instruct you to cut the chestnuts on the flat side, rounded side, or the bottom of the shell. It’s best to experiment and find what feels most comfortable and practical.
2. 2. Wrap the chestnuts in a kitchen towel. After cooking, it can be helpful to wrap the chestnuts in a kitchen towel to slow the cooling process.
3. 3. Peel chestnuts directly after they cool. As soon as the nuts are cool enough to handle, begin peeling. Once they cool off completely, the shells and skins will tighten up somewhat, which can make them challenging to peel.
4. 4. Experiment with different ways of cooking. Different cooking processes have subtle effects on the flavor. Roasting chestnuts boasts a nutty fragrance and softens the shells enough to peel them relatively easily. Boiling is faster, but you won’t get the same rich nuttiness from roasting.
5. 5. Make it a group project. Preparing chestnuts is somewhat labor-intensive with the prep time and cook time. It can be fun to enlist the help of friends and family, which will make the process go faster, and provide a collaborative project for guests to partake in.

There are many ways to prepare and serve chestnuts. Chestnut recipes include the French dish marrons glacé (candied chestnuts), chestnut purée, chestnut pie, Thanksgiving sides like chestnuts with Brussels sprouts and chestnut stuffing, and Italian dishes like sausage and chestnut pasta. Chestnuts are especially popular in Italian cuisine—before the introduction of corn to Italy, polenta was made using chestnuts.

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