Chestnuts Roasted on an Open Fire
Instructions developed by Ken Hunt and Julie Rhoads, UMCA
Prepare a charcoal fire on your BBQ grill. Propane could also be used, but
the charcoal gives the nuts an additional smoky flavor. With a knife or a
hand pruner garden tool, cut a ¼ inch deep slit on the flat side of each
nut. This will allow the heated moisture to escape from inside the chestnut
and will prevent them from exploding when heated on the fire.
Place the cut nuts in a metal pan such as a stainless steel wok or a cast
iron skillet and place the pan on the grilling rack. While roasting, turn the
nuts frequently with a metal spatula. Roasting the nuts will take about 20
minutes. When cooled the shells will become brittle and will be easy to
peel with your fingers.
The nuts can also be roasted on a bonfire by using a long handled metal
pan. The nuts will only take about 5-10 minutes to cook over a hot fire or
coals and they must be turned frequently to prevent scorching of the
shells and meat.