Nutritional Facts & Cooking Instructions
Nutritional Facts
Chestnuts offer a host of nutritional benefits. They are low in saturated fats and high in "good" fats, which make them a heart healthy choice. Containing antioxidants like magnesium and potassium, chestnuts may help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as help with high blood pressure. Chestnuts contain less fat than many other nuts. They are loaded with Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system by increasing the production of white blood cells. Chestnuts are rich in fiber, have a low glycemic index and are gluten free which helps improve digestion and balance blood sugar.
Vitamins and minerals found in chestnuts include: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, complex Vitamin E Zinc Calcium Magnesium, Iron Manganese, Copper
Care of Your Fresh Chestnuts
Keep your fresh chestnuts refrigerated in a perforated bag, preferably in a salad crisper drawer. The optimum temperature is between 32 and 38 degrees. Some of the starch in fresh chestnuts will turn to sugar if you allow them to cure by keeping refrigerated for 2 or 3 weeks before eating, or they may be left out at room temperature for 4 or 5 days to cure more quickly. If left out to cure, they will need to be eaten in a shorter period of time. Chestnuts may be eaten raw. Remove the outer shell with a sharp knife. They may even be cut in half with a butcher's knife. Remove the thin brown covering (pellicle) from around the nut and enjoy! Sometimes removing the shell and pellicle can be made easier by soaking in hot water for 5 minutes first. It is not necessary to boil the water.
Our chestnuts are harvested daily, graded, washed, sanitized and stored in a cooler to maintain freshness. When peeled, the chestnuts have a beautiful yellow color to them. Occasionally, one may have some blossom end rot on one end that is brown in color. This may simply be trimmed off with your knife and the remainder of the nut eaten.
Roasting Chestnuts
The first step is to score the outer shell with a sharp knife. It is ok if it cuts into the "meat” of the nut. Chestnuts have an extremely high water content and WILL EXPLODE while cooking if you skip this step! Place the scored chestnuts on a cookie sheet in the oven set at 350 degrees F for 10 to 25 minutes until they begin to open. A more traditional way of roasting is over an open fire on a grill or fire pit using an iron skillet or popcorn popper for approximately 5 minutes. Whichever method you use, be sure to turn or shake the nuts around frequently while cooking, and don't forget to score them first to allow the steam to escape from the nuts.