Chestnuts - just found loads how should I clean/store them?

[iknowimcoming]

Just that really - we've rinsed them twice and have spread them out to dry on tea-towels is there anything else we should do and is ziplock bags in the fridge ok? I think we'll freeze some for stuffing at xmas any tips for that?

[iknowimcoming]

Bump?

[Moondust001]

You found them? Are you sure they are sweet chestnuts and not horse chestnuts? The latter are extremely poisonous.

[Cheesypea]

They look like conkers.

[Emeeno1]

They look great! We have been collecting ours on the way to and from school and are going to roast them in the oven. Not sure how long they will keep in their jackets, a couple of our have already gone mouldy.

[Moondust001]

Please, please - chestnuts you have found, unless you are very very sure they are sweet chestnut trees, are HIGHLY POISONOUS. Just a small number can kill an adult. Never mind a child. Sweet chestnut does grow wild in parts of the UK. But Horse Chestnut is far more common and widespread. Do not eat them unless you are positive you have the right kind of chestnuts. The turkey may not be the only dead thing at Christmas.

[Lindy2]

They look like sweet chestnuts to me. Horse chestnuts/conkers look quite different so it is pretty easy to tell them apart.

The outsides are very different. Sweet chestnut cases are very very spikey.

I'm not sure how well they store OP if they are raw. I think they will go a bit mildewy. I'd roast them and then try freezing them. They roast well in the oven but make sure you pierce each one first otherwise they explode everywhere, make a huge mess if the oven and cause hours of cleaning up. Sadly, this I found out the hard way.

[iknowimcoming]

Definitely sweet chestnuts not conkers (puncture wounds to prove it) but thanks

[ThunderSkies]

This talks about curing/storing

www.canr.msu.edu/news/whats_the_difference_between_horse_chestnuts_and_sweet_chestnuts

[iknowimcoming]

Thanks @ThunderSkies that is very helpful - we've just tried roasting some on the fire and they are too soft and not as tasty as the ones DH brought home last week and were left on the kitchen side all week so seems to stack up