Peeled and Sterilized Chestnuts in Jars

Ingredients

• 5 kg Fresh chestnuts (Preferably process on the day of harvesting; quantity used in the video.)
• Salt (To taste; may be omitted for plain chestnuts.)
• Pepper (To taste; freshly ground according to the video; may be omitted for plain chestnuts.)
• Water (Boiling water for blanching the chestnuts; add 2 to 3 tbsp to each jar before closing it. The water in the sterilizer is not intended to be added to the chestnuts.)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash the chestnuts in a large quantity of water. Let them rest for a few seconds: wormy chestnuts will rise to the surface.

2. 2

   Remove and discard all floating chestnuts. Drain the good chestnuts. It is preferable to process them on the day of harvesting, as they do not keep well according to the author.

3. 3

   Using a very sharp knife, score each chestnut, preferably on its rounded side. To reduce the risk of cutting yourself, place the chestnut on a wooden board approximately 2 cm thick and score downward.

4. 4

   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a small quantity of scored chestnuts at a time; do not overcrowd the pot.

5. 5

   Remove the chestnuts and peel them while still hot, in small batches. If two people are peeling, process approximately 40 to 50 chestnuts at a time. Scrape carefully to remove as much skin as possible; the author points out that they become difficult to peel if they cool for a few minutes.

6. 6

   Put the peelings in the compost. Keep the peeled chestnuts warm and work quickly.

7. 7

   Distribute the peeled chestnuts among 380 g Le Parfait jars. Season with salt and pepper to taste, or leave them plain.

8. 8

   Add 2 to 3 tbsp of water to each jar to moisten the chestnuts and help the seasoning settle.

9. 9

   Carefully wipe the rim of each jar. Place the lid fitted with its rubber seal, then close the jar and screw the lid on tightly.

10. 10

    Arrange the jars in the sterilizer. Place a dish towel between each layer to prevent the jars from knocking against one another. If a layer is not full, the author indicates that you can add jars without lids to keep them in place.

11. 11

    Cover the jars and towels with water, until the water level is just above the last row of jars.

12. 12

    Sterilize at 95–100 °C for 90 minutes, counting the time from when the water reaches this temperature.

Notes

The video indicates that approximately 5 kg of chestnuts requires three hours of work for two people before sterilization. It does not specify either the blanching time or the number of jars produced. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the sterilizer and jars to ensure safe preservation.

Nutrition per serving

• preserving
• autumn
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• dairy-free
• sterilized
• make-ahead