Chestnut cooking for Dressing?

[Bob Z]

Have been making chestnut stuffing (now dressing) for years but cooking and skinning the chestnuts is so labor intensive. It goes like this:

• Pick dense feeling (like lettuce heads) chestnuts
  make an X in one side
  simmer for 20+ minutes depending on size
  cut in half and peel off outer then inner skin
  chop into pieces...

Water gets dark from the outer skin and getting them out of the skins takes forever but the results are worth it

Anyone have a good way to do this? I tried lots of online ideas that all seem to fail. I want to end up with tender pieces of chestnut not hard pieces!

I suppose if there was a way to get the chestnuts out of the skins easily i could then simmer or steam them to end up with tender pieces.
Thoughts?
Monster chestnuts I found today in Winco!

[timos]

hmmm sounds good ... maybe try sous vide?

[Nmiller21k]

There is no fast way to peel chestnuts... we did a bunch at TBF a few years ago... 10 pounds a pop....

I'd just gently simmer longer with them

[Bob Z]

Lol well ok, I didnt think so but just had to ask. But Timos reply of doing sous vide sounds interesting, I dont have one yet.
what do you think about cutting off the outer shell first then simmer?

[Eversor13]

If you're curious about sous vide but don't want to buy an immersion circulator yet, you can do the stove top method. Pretty much put a pot of water on the stove with a thermometer in it. You find the set point on your stove that keeps it in the right temperature zone. It's definitely much more tedious that getting an immersion circulator but I'd recommend it to see how awesome sous vide can be. The only downside if you'll have to spend some money on an immersion circulator after that first taste of oh-my-god amazin steak.

[Carter]

This came up in a class I did with Jacques Pepin years ago, there is no real shortcut to using fresh chestnuts....he mentioned a canned version that he liked...forget the brand, think the can was white. Anyway, for dishes like a dressing, he advocated the canned version. I have used the cans many times and for most dishes, I agree. The work / convenience ratio is good...the cost not so good.

[Bob Z]

Well the fresh ones are at least $5.99 a lb, and there is probably at least 10-15% or more bad ones, add that to all the labor and i would try the cans for sure. If only someone could remember what brand they are. Where I live seems like only whole foods has that kinda stuff.

[Carter]

Well the fresh ones are at least $5.99 a lb, and there is probably at least 10-15% or more bad ones, add that to all the labor and i would try the cans for sure. If only someone could remember what brand they are. Where I live seems like only whole foods has that kinda stuff.

I used to get them at a gourmet grocery in Miami...found these on Amazon....similar to what I used to get, they were pricey but not this expensive...but I am going back 10-15yrs.

[Bob Z]

Ouch! those are kinda pricey. Guess Ill go ck at whole foods one of these days or maybe world market. Chestnuts were wiped out in the US long time ago by the chestnut blight and very slowly coming back now so much of the stuff here is still imported.

[Carter]

Ouch! those are kinda pricey. Guess Ill go ck at whole foods one of these days or maybe world market. Chestnuts were wiped out in the US long time ago by the chestnut blight and very slowly coming back now so much of the stuff here is still imported.

I would think WF might have them at a better price. We have a couple of trees on our property...have yet to try to roast any....the prickly outer casing requires extreme care in handling....every know and then I hear when one of my dogs steps on one....a big yelp!