how long does it take to cook chestnuts in the oven?

Answer 1

Preheat your oven to 425 F (210 C). Take your chestnuts and make a cut across the round side of each to keep them from exploding, and arrange them either on a rack or on a cookie sheet. Roast them until the skins have pulled back from the cuts and the nutmeats have softened (exactly how long will depend upon the chestnuts, but at least 15-20 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven, make a mound of them in an old towel, wrap them up, squeeze them hard -- they should crackle -- and let them sit for a few minutes.

Answer 2

Roasting Chestnuts in the Oven
The best way to roast chestnuts is over the coals, but if that's not practical Italians generally roast them over a gas burner, in a simple iron pan that has many holes punched through it to allow the flames to touch the chestnuts -- see my article for instruction. However, you may not have the pan (or want to sacrifice one to the cause) or may not have a gas burner. At this point the oven is your only option.
Preheat your oven to 425 F (210 C). Take your chestnuts and make a cut across the round side of each to keep them from exploding, and arrange them either on a rack or on a cookie sheet. Roast them until the skins have pulled back from the cuts and the nutmeats have softened (exactly how long will depend upon the chestnuts, but at least 15-20 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven, make a mound of them in an old towel, wrap them up, squeeze them hard -- they should crackle -- and let them sit for a few minutes.