How long can chestnuts be kept

When it comes to chestnuts, many people should have a say, because sugar-fried chestnuts have become a special snack in the childhood memories of people all over the country. As a kind of nut food, if you want to preserve chestnuts for a long time and prevent them from rotting, you need to choose a special preservation method. Because chestnuts are actually very easy to preserve, the following article explains the relevant methods of preserving chestnuts for a long time.

How long can fresh chestnuts be kept?

Chestnut fruit is the seed of chestnut, and all living things have natural ways to keep their seeds active. How seeds are generally stored is a universal method. That is, select the seeds (throw away those with black peel or pockmarks, as these are generally bad), ventilate or dry them in the sun (3 to 4 days), then seal them in food bags and put them in the refrigerator (at a few degrees), or put them in the freezer (if you put them in the freezer, you cannot put them back after taking them out and thawing them). In this way, its biological activity can be maintained for a year or so, and it is fresh fruit and can be eaten at any time.

If it is not put in the refrigerator, it needs to be dried in the sun for two or three days to dry out the moisture. If you put it in a breathable cloth bag and place it in a dry and ventilated place, it can be stored for a long time.

It is not recommended to cook it, as it will be very dry and will lack the unique nutrition of chestnut seeds. Just like storing peanuts, would you rather store dried peanuts (raw) or fried (or boiled and dried)? The latter cannot be stored for long and are more likely to go bad.

Can fresh chestnuts be refrigerated?

If raw chestnuts need to be stored for a short period of time, they can be placed in the refrigerator. Note that the humidity in the refrigerator is relatively high, so they must be taken out every three to five days to air dry the moisture on the shell and then put back in the refrigerator. But it cannot be placed in the freezer.

Because chestnuts are stubborn seeds and cannot tolerate low-temperature storage below 0°C. This type of seeds still has a relatively high water content (30% to 60%) when mature, and will automatically enter the germination state shortly after harvesting. Once dehydrated (even if the water content is still high), the germination process will be affected, leading to a rapid loss of vitality.

To preserve chestnuts, if not necessary, you can cook the chestnuts, let them cool, seal them and put them in the freezer, where they can be stored for more than half a year. When eating, take it out and steam it again. After peeling the shell, you can eat it directly or use it in cooking, the taste will not change.

How to best preserve fresh chestnuts

1. Spreading and drying method. Spread fresh raw chestnuts in a cool and ventilated place. As long as they are not piled up and are well ventilated, they will definitely not deteriorate if stored for two months.

2. Sand storage method. Cover the bottom of the container where raw chestnuts are stored with yellow sand, and place the chestnuts on top, layer by layer of yellow sand and chestnuts. Put more yellow sand on the top layer. If you don't want the chestnuts to dry out, you can spray them with water every once in a while, but don't spray too much, otherwise they will rot. The difficulty of this method lies in controlling the amount of water sprayed. If it is controlled just right, the preserved chestnuts will be the same as fresh chestnuts. If it is not controlled well, they will rot.

3. Air drying method. Air-drying is the best way to preserve chestnuts for the longest time, and the method is not difficult. First, soak the fresh chestnuts in cold water for 7 to 10 days, then take them out and put them in a basket, hang them in a cool and ventilated place, and let them dry naturally.

4. Sealing method. Put fresh chestnuts without any water on the surface into a plastic bag, tie the bag tightly, and place it in a cool and ventilated place. There is no problem in preserving it for half a month using this method. If it is stored in the refrigerator, it can be preserved for a longer time.

5. Refrigeration method. Remove the outer shell and thin inner layer of chestnuts, put them in a plastic bag, tie the bag tightly, and store them in the refrigerator for two months. But remember to remove the outer shell and the thin inner layer, as both are prone to mold. In fact, you can also store it in the freezer of the refrigerator, and it will be fine to store it for a year.

6. Sawdust method. Mix the sawdust and chestnuts together, put them into a container, put more sawdust on the top, do not cover it, and then put the container in a cool and ventilated place. It can be stored for about 2 months, but the chestnuts will dry out if it is kept for too long.