Boiled Peanuts Recipe
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Boiled Peanuts are a traditional Southern snack that are easy to make at home.
I want to share something with you that I’ve enjoyed since I was a wee little: boiled peanuts. Before you go running off in horror, just bear with me. I know it may sound odd to those who’ve never enjoyed them before. I get that. But really, if you’ve never tried them, you’ve got to at least once.
Growing up in South Carolina it never occurred to me that Boiled Peanuts were not a national food. You can imagine how surprised I was to find that my husband, who’s from neighboring North Carolina, had not had them until we met in college. He’d also never seen Grease or The Wizard of Oz. That’s another story for another day. But really, North Carolina? No boiled peanuts? How very sad.
If you can’t find a local establishment to sell you a paper bag full of Boiled Peanuts, they are super easy to make right at home. I wouldn’t say they are quick, but they are easy. They do take a while to boil to the correct doneness but don’t let that keep you making a big batch. When prepared correctly, they really are a treat, not to mention sneaky addictive.
Boiled Peanuts recipe notes:
- Some recommend soaking the raw peanuts for several hours (6-8) in salted water to reduce cooking time. I’ve never soaked them myself but if you have time, and plan ahead, give it a go.
- To begin the cooking process, fill a large stock pot with water, add salt and bring to a boil then add the peanuts.
- If you don’t soak them, the peanut will want to float a bit. Stir them around a few times. They’ll eventually settle down.
- Cook time will vary depending on the amount of peanuts you’re cooking. Cooktime could be up to 8 hours.
- Be sure to keep checking the progress every hour or so. What you’re looking for is a totally soft peanut. Some like it a little less “done” or al dente if you will. I like them soft. You may need to add water throughout the cook time to make sure that there’s always enough water in the pot to cover the peanuts and then some wiggle room.
- An outdoor gas cooker/turkey fryer is perfect for boiling peanuts.
Boiled Peanuts Recipe
![Boiled Peanuts Recipe shewearsmanyhats.com](https://shewearsmanyhats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/boiled-peanuts-recipe-2-320x320.jpg)
Boiled Peanuts Recipe
Make this Southern delicacy right at home.
Ingredients
- 4 quarts of water
- 1/2 cup salt
- 2 pounds of raw peanuts (or green* peanuts)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot bring the water and salt to boil.
- Add the peanuts and stir to “settle” peanuts. Cover and reduce to a slow boil/simmer.
- Check water level every hour and taste for doneness. Add more salt if desired. Cook for about 3 hours and check for preferred doneness. Add more time as needed. Total cook time may be up to 6-8 hours.
Notes
*If you use green peanuts (peanuts fresh from the field that haven’t been dried) the cook time may be shorter.
Originally posted March 21, 2010. Updated July 1, 2015.
Oh, girl. I do love some boiled peanuts! I grew up in “peanut country” and my Daddy grew about a hundred acres of them every year. Of course we had them every Fall and kept them in the freezer to have the rest of the year. I wrote quite a nostalgic post about them on my site last Fall. If you’re interested in how they get from field to table, take a look at that post here: http://www.lanascooking.com/2009/11/16/boiled-peanuts/
Thank you for insight 🙂
I’ve never heard of boiled peanuts and I wonder why they are so good? I guess the only way to find out is to try it!
They are amazing!
I JUST saw boiled peanuts on a TV show the other day. B & I were like..what the heck are boiled peanuts? Fun!
This looks delicious! YUM! I LOVED boiled peanuts!
Yum, it’s been a while since I’ve had them. They sound DELICIOUS right now (anything does. LOL)
Hey, LOVE the blue pot! Mm-m-m, where’d you get it? 🙂
Nope. Never seen a boiled peanut. Definitely looks like something that’s worth a try. Has your husband seen the Wizard of Oz yet?
Funny to see this post today, as my daughter said to me this weekend, “we should grow peanuts this year in the garden and make our own peanut butter.” I had to explain to her that as Minnesotans we are not blessed with the appropriate climate to grow peanuts. Being a northern girl, I’ve never heard of boiled peanuts, but they sure look interesting!
I love boiled peanuts. It’s a popular snack among Asians.
I never heard of them till I just moved to Myrtle Beach,discovered them and fell in love!Once you start you can not stop! Seriously! They are delicious.
Not only are they good but are good for you. Loaded with antioxidants and flavanoids. The boiling process enhances the benefits. I am trying to get them to catch on in northern NC.
You can buy raw peanuts at Wal-Mart. They are usually in bags in the produce section. Just read the front and make sure they say Raw peanuts. If they don’t have them, the store manager will be happy to order them for you. I cook them in the crock pot overnight and my family thanks me for it! We are living in the North now but grew up in Georgia where you can find them everywhere.
I have fond memories of eating these with a pepsi-cola, growing up in North Carolina. I have to buy a bag of raw peanuts every so often to satisfy that hankerin’. Could not find them in the stores, so the last bag I bought was online from http://www.nuts.com. They were huge and got here fast. Of course, I put a pot on right away. I am glad they are so nutritious, cause they are addictive.
I absolutely love boiled peanuts, been eating them all my life~! 🙂 Great post!!!
Michael 🙂
They’re so addicting! I can begin or I won’t quit until they’re gone.
Everyone should try these at least once, they are amazing. I moved from New England to the South in my thirties, and when I discovered boiled peanuts I knew I’d found my “true” home! I make them on a regular basis and my whole family loves them! The only thing I do differently is that I don’t cover the pot while they’re boiling. I think they come out more tender if the pot is open (I like them REALLY soft). I used to soak them but I found that it really didn’t change the cooking time all that much. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
raw peanuts can be ordered online.. I use all kinds of spices in mine. got hooked on them while visiting SC. when my Grandson graduated from PI. USMC. I am now a peanut junkie.
Great to know, Pete! They are easy to get hooked on, for sure.
You can buy raw dry peanuts in bulk on Amazon.
Wow, your husband is from NC and never had boiled peanuts. What part? My grandparents lived in Whiteville, NC, of course that is farm country and my grandmother always planted peanuts, and boiled is the best!! My Dad grew up in Charlotte and he ate boiled peanuts all of his life. He grew up on Ashley Road, which was a dirt road back then and the land around was farm land. Him and his friend also plugged watermelons very close to Ashley Rd back in the day. His friend’s dad, had a watermelon patch, right where I grew up. I’m glad you enlightened your husband and I’m sure he loves boiled peanuts now. Hooray for the good ole south.
Had a friend visit from England. She was 80 years old at the time. She wanted to try boiled peanuts. We stopped and got a bag from the guy on the side of the road,they were cooked perfectly. We cracked it open for her and she put them in her mouth. She got this strange look on her face an said, these are the most vile things I have ever put in me mouth! Needless to say we ate the rest of them, yum yum, and she proceeded to wipe her mouth clean with a napkin. We got a good laugh out of it and told her it must be an aquired taste. More for us!
PANICKED RAW PEANUT SEEKERS…. search the web/internet for raw peanuts bulk for boiling.
The giant online reseller (name of a big river in South America) has them as does a website call (not joking “nuts dot com”.
You’re welcome 🙂
Does anyone use the stock, after boiling the peanuts?