How do you roast chestnuts without them exploding on you?

I was roasting some chestnuts yesterday and when I took themout of the oven I had realised one of them exploded inside the oven. I had took them out, still in the bowl they cooked in, and another one exploded all over the kitchen. Everything was completely covered. I had pierced them though, about five or six times in each chestnut with a bradel. I was cooking ten. But what I thought could have made the diffference is I took them straight out of the fridge and into the oven, because the packet stated to keep them in the fridge. I had roasted some the previous day, but I had not kept them i the fridge and they were too dry, but did not explode. Should I let them cool to room temperature before roasting them next time? Please answer. Thank you.

How do you roast chestnuts without them exploding on you?
Before roasting the chestnuts, make a cut in the round side of each, to keep them from exploding. Out in the country people still use terracotta vessels that resemble colanders to roast chestnuts over the coals, but if you are doing them over the stove you will want a chestnut-roasting pan, which looks like a skillet with holes punched in its bottom (if need be you can make a pan youeself, by purchasing a cheap skillet and punching holes through it with a thick nail). Put the chestnuts in the pan, sprinkle them with water, cover them, and set the pan over a medium flame. Shake the pan frequently and continue roasting until the skins are blackened and have pulled back from the meat where you cut into them; this should take 5 to 10 minutes (charring means you didn't shake the pan enough). Another technique is to place chestnuts, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degree F (hot oven) until tender, about 20 minutes. Insert fork through cut in shell to test tenderness. Wrap the hot chestnuts in an old towel, squeeze them hard to crush the skins, and let them sit wrapped for five minutes. Open the towel and enjoy
Reply:cut a little slit to let the air escape!
Reply:Don't just stab them like a jacket potato, on the flat side, and holding the chestnuts with the pointy bit up, do a slit from side to side making sure you go through the hard skin and the papery one inside.



I also soak them in salted water for at least 1/2 hours, longer is better.



You could also, instead of roasting them, boiled them with fennel seeds, delicious!!!!!
Reply:Thanks for the tip! That's a lifesaver.
Reply:Yes, please bring them back up to room temperature before putting them in the oven. If the ones you made previously were too dry you may have left them in the oven too long. I'm from an Italian family and we all do ours on the stove top and move them around so that they don't burn because they really only need to be heated through %26amp; you can smell the fragrance as the time approaches to remove them from the fire we also use cast iron pans for this never could afford specialized pans for one item a few times a year, it works for us - some of the women toss theirs in a very little olive oil %26amp; add salt. We don't pierce the chestnut just cut a piece of the top off and cut an X through the bottom of the skin. We don't refrigerate them either maybe because we never buy them too far in advance, just a few days.
Reply:Roast them together in a small pot of coffeebeans... Keep stirring till they are done... Nice!
Reply:You cut a little "x" on one side before you roast them
Reply:You cut a small slot in them, best with a sort of hook shaped knife or you can buy a gadget that is made for the job
Reply:stab a knife in them to let them breathe
Reply:it's steam pressure building up inside the chestnut. the temperature of the chestnuts before you roast them shouldn't matter.

I am not sure what a bradel is, but it's probably not leaving large enough openings for steam to escape.

If I am cooking with the chestnuts I cut a deep gash through each nut before roasting. If I want the nuts whole I cut a shallow "x" at the base.

you will notice that the cuts, rather than a pierced hole, will leave you with chestnuts that are easier to peel.