Storing chestnuts

[Lady Willow]

I collected half a trailor load of chestnuts today (I just couldn't stop picking them up!!).

Far more than I'll be able to use in the coming weeks.

Does anybody collect and store them? If so - any tips please for best storage method please?

[chilitony]

took my tribe chesnuting today and got quite alot of them, so decided to freeze some.
found recipe on web which said roast them first and will store for months.
another recipe was pickled chesnuts. here is link: http://www.wikihow.com/Store-Chestnuts
tony

[Millymollymandy]

Eeeks I need to go and get some! I usually boil them and peel them then freeze them - but never do very many because it is so time consuming and frustrating trying to get the bits of skin off (and I've tried every which way).

[Odsox]

The old fashioned way was to put them in a tin box and bury them in the garden, with a suitable marker of course.
It really does work as they stay as fresh as the day you picked them up, until spring when they start to grow.
That was long before we all had fridges, but still warrants mentioning as it costs nothing to do and contributes nothing to global warming.
Oh, they must be dry when you do it, or they will go mouldy ... a bit like me really, old fashioned AND mouldy.

[theabsinthefairy]

I hang mine around in old fishing nets in the cellar during the winter.

But you can make purees which you can store in kilner jars or freeze, or make flour (which is really quite labour intensive but does have a lovely taste for cakes and biscuits).

[Millymollymandy]

Purees - I'd have pureed maggot without knowing as when I leave them for a while there are always some maggots that come out to play.....

[Lady Willow]

Ah.. how I know what to do with that old tin drum that hubbie insisted "come in useful one day" .... his collection of things in this catagory is vast!

I made some chestnut 'jam' yesterday. It took forever, but tastes great (it has rum in it! )

Has anybody tried roasting (in the fire) chestnuts that have been frozen and defrosted? How do they turn out? Does the freezing process ruin the texture of the nut for roasting?

[theabsinthefairy]

not to my taste buds Lady Willow