Boiled peanuts are a popular summer snack in many areas of the world. In the harvest season, which runs from June to September, the peanuts are simply boiled, then seasoned with salt and other delicious spices. If you can't find fresh peanuts, you can boil the raw ones that have been dried. Follow the advice in the article and serve them as a savory snack at aperitif time along with your favorite cocktail.
Ingrediants
- 1 kg of natural or roasted peanuts
- 500 g of fine salt
- Spices to taste
- About 15 liters of water
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Wash and Soak the Peanuts
Step 1. Buy fresh peanuts online or at a health food store
Keep in mind that the harvest period is from June to September. If you are lucky enough to live near peanut farms, you may also find them at the farmers' market.
- Buy about one kilogram of fresh peanuts to boil. Keep in mind that fresh peanuts have a short shelf life, a few weeks at the most, so don't buy more than you think you'll be able to boil and eat within a short time.
- When choosing peanuts, make sure they are firm, brown-shelled, and have an intense aroma, similar to that of roasted hazelnuts. Although they are called "green peanuts" in English, fresh peanuts are not green in color; the name refers to the fact that they have recently been picked and have not been roasted.
Step 2. Rinse the peanuts and remove the broken shell fragments
Put them in a large basin and cover them with hot water. You may also find blades of grass, bits of leaves, and twigs if they come directly from the farm that harvested them. Remove and discard any foreign matter floating on the surface of the water. If the peanuts were packaged, there is no need to wash them, but you still need to soak them in water.
- You can also remove broken or damaged peanuts.
- Consider whether it is best to wash peanuts outdoors if they are very dirty. If you have the possibility to rinse them in the garden, you can put them in a basin and spray them with the irrigation hose to quickly remove all foreign bodies.
Step 3. Brush the peanuts and place them in a colander
Remove the last residue by gently scrubbing the shells with a vegetable brush. Take a handful of peanuts from the bowl and gently sweep the brush over it while holding them in the palm of your hand. After brushing them, put them in a colander to rinse them off. Repeat this process until you have brushed all of them.
- If you don't have a vegetable brush, you can use a toothbrush for washing dishes.
- Since you will have to keep your hands immersed in water for a long time, it is preferable to use rubber gloves to protect the skin.
Step 4. Rinse the peanuts
After putting them all in a large colander, rinse them thoroughly under running water to remove dirt and other residues that have come off the shells by scrubbing. Move them gently with your hands as you rinse them and continue to do so until the water that falls into the sink is perfectly clean.
If you are working outdoors or if there are a lot of peanuts and they don't fit all in the sink, you can rinse them with the garden hose. Keep in mind that you will get a better result if you put them in a perforated container that allows water and dirt to drain easily
Step 5. Fill a large pot with one kilogram of peanuts and about 7.5 liters of water
Transfer them from the colander to a large pot, then cover them completely with water.
If the peanuts are floating, gently push them down with your hand to make sure all the shells are submerged in the water
Step 6. Add half a kilo of fine salt
Weigh it, pour it into the pot, and then stir until it is completely dissolved. The peanuts will flavor by absorbing the salt during soaking.
- Keep in mind that you will also need to salt the peanuts in the boiling stage, so be careful not to add too much salt to the soaking water.
- Use fine salt because it dissolves more easily in water than coarse salt.
- Feel free to modify the quantities according to your tastes.
Step 7. Cover the pot and let the peanuts soak for 30 minutes
Put a lid on the pot or cover it with cling film to make sure the peanuts stay submerged in the water. Leave them to soak for half an hour before cooking them. Remember that if you can't find freshly picked fresh peanuts, you can use the dry, natural ones, which are readily available all year round. However, keep in mind that dried peanuts should be left to soak much longer - they need to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Soaking the peanuts is to ensure that they soften more easily during cooking. Once boiled, they will have a delicious texture.
- Don't try to use roasted peanuts because they won't soften even if you boil them or soak them for very long.
Step 8. Drain the peanuts from the soaking water
Put a colander in the sink, then pour the water and peanuts into it. After letting them soak for the desired time, you will need to drain them from the water before cooking them.
- If there are a lot of peanuts and the pot is too heavy to lift, you can drain them from the soaking water using a skimmer, transferring them directly to the pot for cooking.
- At this point the peanuts are ready to be boiled.
Part 2 of 2: Cook, Drain and Store Peanuts
Step 1. Place the peanuts and spices of your choice in a large pot
After soaking, transfer the peanuts to a large pot and cover them with water. Make sure there is at least two inches of water on top of the peanuts and mix just enough to make sure they are all completely submerged. At the end, put the pot on the stove and add the desired spices.
- The first spice to add is the salt which will give the peanuts flavor. You can use 250 g for every 4 liters of water.
- If you like spicy, you can also add fresh chili (for example, jalapeños) or powder.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil, then let the peanuts simmer for about 4 hours
Turn on the stove over high heat to bring the water to a boil quickly. When the water boils, cover the pot and lower the heat to gently simmer the peanuts: they will need to cook for about 4 hours.
- If you used natural dried peanuts, let them cook for at least 10 hours.
- If you have a slow cooker (the so-called "slow cooker"), this is a good opportunity to use it, especially if you have chosen dried peanuts that need to be cooked for a long time. Put the peanuts in the pot with the desired water and spices, set the cooking mode "low" and let them cook for 20-24 hours. Stir the peanuts from time to time and, if necessary, top up the water in the pot.
Step 3. Stir and taste the peanuts periodically
Mix them using a slotted spoon and taste them at regular intervals (after removing them from the shell) to see if they are ready and if you need to add more spices.
- Cooking time may vary according to personal preferences. Some people prefer them very soft, while others prefer them harder. Taste them periodically until they have reached the consistency you want.
- If the peanuts are left uncovered because some of the water has evaporated, add more.
Step 4. Drain the peanuts
Turn off the stove, lift the pot carefully and pour the contents into a large colander placed in the center of the sink.
- Be careful when lifting and emptying the pot to avoid scalding yourself with boiling water.
- As a precaution, put on a pair of oven mitts that also cover your forearms.
Step 5. Drain the peanuts using the skimmer if the pot is too heavy
If it is too difficult to lift the pot, drain the peanuts using the skimmer and transfer them directly to a bowl.
If you cooked the peanuts in the slow cooker, drain them using the slotted spoon
Step 6. Eat peanuts right away or store them appropriately
Wait until they are cold to the touch, then peel them and eat them at aperitif time or as a snack. You can keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week or, if you prefer, you can freeze them. In both cases, they will need to be transferred to a food bag.
