So how exactly do you roast chestnuts on an open fire?

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

Because if I just chuck them on the fire they'll burn surely?

And I can't make them levitate at a suitable roasting height.

Is there a device?

Jamie did it in a victorian bed warmer- do you have one handy
I would use an old frying pan

Don't you do it like you'd do marshmellows on a metal rod thing? Isn't what all the pics of the victorians doing it show?

these look good

these look good

I dont' think you can spike chestnuts to do them marshmallow style. DH wondered about using the tongs and doing them one by one. We reckoned it could take 90 minutes to get one portion.

Bed warmer? No, LOL, not got one of those handy.

That looks good ledodgy. Wonder if you can get them in Lakeland?

shovel

reminds me of radio 1 'xmas with the schwarzeneggers' many moons ago...

bing: chestnuts roasting on an open fire...
arnie: OPEN FIRE!!!
dakka dakka dakka dakka...

did you ever doubt this exists?

good old lakeland eh! do you think the holes are essential? otherwise it looks a bit like iron frying pan we have lurking in back of cupboard... [hopeful emoticon]

We just wrapped a bundle in some tinfoil and lobbed it into the fire in a gung-ho fashion. Left about 15 mins and they were still a bit crunchy, so I'd say longer than that.

Oh damn, it's sold out!

Same as Effie, when we were on holiday I used the coal shovel

(don't have a real fire at home boo hoo) Having said that I have bought some and will bung them in oven

I have a proper chestnut roasting pan, it's like a long-handled frying pan with holes in the base. I think it came from Lakeland years ago, but it's a more traditional one than the picture below. Works a treat!

we did ours in an old 7" cake tin.. just put it on the fire and put the chestnuts in. We lifted the tin off the fire with the tongues..

WARNING: the tin will be black and never fit for baking cakes in again

Don't forget to prick the chestnuts with a fork or they will explode

So how exactly do you roast chestnuts on an open fire?

Firstly I find it's essential to delegate this sort of job to DH. It brings out the BBQ-man in him and makes him feel all hunter-gathery.

As people have said it's essential to prick the chestnuts first, then just heat them in an old iron frying pan over the fire - keep turning them or they'll burn.

Then crack off the shells - also good manly work - and definitely not good if you're freshly manicured - and enjoy