During the first months of autumn, have you bought some freshly harvested chestnuts out in the country or (more comfortably) at the supermarket? If you’ve ended up with some leftover fresh chestnuts that you’d like to store, we’ve got all the info you need (plus a few fun facts about its nutritional value).
The benefits of chestnuts
Chestnuts have many beneficial properties like vitamin B and phosphorus, which contribute to balancing the nervous system, while its high levels of fiber promote regular digestion. Chestnuts are also a great source of folic acid, which doctors recommend during pregnancy for healthy fetal development. But be careful! Chestnuts are also high in calories, so don’t overdo it. And if you want to enjoy the benefits of chestnuts through the winter and even after, here are the most effective methods for storing and preserving them.
Storing raw chestnuts in the fridge
Raw chestnuts can be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer. In the first case, you must first soak the chestnuts for nine days, changing their water every day and discarding the chestnuts that float to the surface (called the “Novena Method” in Italian). The chestnuts leftover after 9 days must be dried carefully and then placed in jute bags or wooden boxes in the refrigerator at a maximum temperature of changing their water every day and removing the floating chestnuts. The rest must be dried carefully and then placed in jute bags or wooden boxes in the refrigerator at a maximum temperature of 37°F (+3°C). Chestnuts stored this way will last for a maximum of 3 months.
Storing chestnuts in the freezer
Before freezing the chestnuts, make sure you remove the rotten ones. If you eventually plan to roast them, remove their skin. Clean them well and transfer them to freezer bags and freeze them at -4°F (-20°C). Frozen like this, chestnuts can last for up to 12 months.
Storing chestnuts in sand
If you want to bury the chestnuts in the sand to preserve them, you’ll need sand or sawdust and a very large container that can hold both. Here’s how to do it: Form a first layer of sand, followed by a layer of chestnuts. Continue alternating layers of sand and chestnuts and finish with a last layer of sand. With this method, chestnuts can be kept for up to 2 months.
Freezing cooked chestnuts
If you prefer to save chestnuts that you’ve already cooked so that they’re ready-to-eat, then first boil or roast them as usual. Then let them cool and freeze them in plastic bags. (If you’ve roasted them, go ahead and remove the skin.) These can last up to 6 months.