Three ways of preparation

click fraud protection

Freezing chestnuts - these options are available

There are several methods of freezing chestnuts:

  • raw or cooked
  • with or without a shell
  • "Pre-fried"
  • blanched

also read

  • Core avocado - instructions and practical tips
  • Freezing fruit - instructions and tips
  • Freezing elderberries properly - practical tips

Freeze chestnuts raw and with their skin on

The easiest and fastest way to freeze chestnuts is to leave them raw, with their skin on and put in the form in the freezer (in vacuum-sealed freezer bags). If you want to use them later, roast the delicacies while still frozen in the oven or let them thaw for an hour so that they can then be processed as desired.

Tips

In general (for every variant of this guide), it is advisable to cut (notch) the chestnuts with a sharp knife before freezing them. For this purpose, scratch a small cross on the curved side of each chestnut. By cutting in, you will find it easier to peel the chestnuts as you go.

Freeze the chestnuts blanched and peeled

This method is useful if you want to cook the chestnuts peeled later. The slightly higher effort before freezing is compensated for afterwards when it comes to preparing and enjoying.

  1. Score the chestnuts.
  2. Blanch them for 10 to 20 minutes. The cooking or simmering time depends on the freshness of the chestnuts. The following applies: the fresher they are, the shorter this step takes (ten minutes for very fresh chestnuts, 20 minutes for older specimens). Alternatively, you can bake your chestnuts in the oven for half an hour at 180 degrees Celsius.
  3. Let the chestnuts cool for a few minutes.
  4. Peel them. To do this, drive a small kitchen knife into the incised cross. Make sure to remove the brown skin under the peel as well (bitter taste).
  5. Put the peeled chestnuts on a grid. There they dry and continue to cool.
  6. Put the chestnuts in portions in freezer bags (or freezer cans). Don't put too many chestnuts in one bag - portion them so that each chestnut has some space.
  7. Remove air from the bags - with a vacuum sealer or by mouth.
  8. Close the freezer bag tightly (airtight!).
  9. Put the bags in the freezer.

"Pre-fry" chestnuts before freezing

In order to have little work after freezing, the following variant is advisable:

  1. Cut in the chestnuts.
  2. Almost finish frying them.
  3. Let the chestnuts cool down.
  4. Put them in freezer bags (don't forget to vacuum them).
  5. Now the bags can be put in the freezer.
  6. If you fancy chestnuts, take a load out of the chest, let it thaw, peel it and fry it for about ten minutes. Then they are ready to eat.

Interesting facts about freezing chestnuts

Special fact: Based on experience, some amateur cooks and experts are of the opinion that the taste of the chestnuts is even better when they are frozen. Farmers once said that chestnuts needed a frosty night before they were collected from the ground.

Chestnuts can be kept for up to twelve months in the freezer.

The garden journal freshness-ABC

How can fruit & vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as free PDF file to print out on your own