Purchase roughly two pounds of fresh peanuts to boil. Fresh, green peanuts do not last for longer than a few weeks, so make sure not to buy more than you can boil within that time period. Look for fresh peanuts with a firm, brown shell and a strong nutty smell. Green peanuts do not actually look green. Their name refers to the fact that they have been recently harvested and not dried.
You can also remove any broken or damaged peanut shells that you spot. Depending on how dirty they are, you may consider doing this outside. If you can work outside, consider using a water hose to spray the peanuts inside of the bucket to remove any debris.
You can use a dish-washing brush if you don’t have a vegetable brush handy. Your hands could be submerged in the water for a long period of time, so consider wearing rubber gloves to protect your skin.
If you are working outside or with a large batch of peanuts that won’t fit in your sink, you can also rinse the peanuts outside with a water hose. Keep in mind that it will be more effective to rinse your peanuts while they are in a container with holes that allow the dirty water to easily pass through.
If the peanuts float, gently press them down with your hand to make sure every shell is soaked by the water.
Keep in mind that you will be adding additional salt and seasonings later when you boil the peanuts. Be careful not to over-salt them now during the soaking stage. Use table salt instead of rock salt as it will dissolve in the water more easily. Adjust your ingredient measurements as necessary.
Soaking the peanuts ensures that they will soften more easily when they are cooked, giving them their delicious texture. Do not attempt to soak roasted peanuts. Roasted peanuts will not soften regardless of how long they are soaked or boiled.
If you are working with a large batch of peanuts and your soaking pot is too heavy to lift easily, consider transferring the peanuts from your soaking pot to a cooking vessel with a slotted spoon. The peanuts are now ready to be boiled.
Adding salt is a great, basic seasoning that will add flavor. You can add around 1 cup (240 ml) of table salt for every 1 gallon (3. 8 l) of water. If you’d like the peanuts to taste spicy, consider adding red pepper flakes or jalapenos.
If you are using dried, raw peanuts, allow them to simmer for at least 10 hours. Consider cooking the peanuts in a large crockpot if you have one. This is an especially useful cooking method if you are boiling raw peanuts, which need to be cooked for a long time. Simply add the peanuts, water, and desired flavor seasoning and cook while covered on the lowest heat setting from around 20-24 hours. Periodically stir and add more water to the crockpot as necessary while they cook. [10] X Research source
How long you cook the peanuts depends on your own personal peanut preference. Some people like their peanuts to be very soft, while others prefer that they retain some of their firmness. Testing throughout the cooking process will help you achieve the perfect doneness. You may need to add extra water to your pot if the water level drops below the peanuts while they cook.
Use extreme caution when lifting your pot and pouring it into the colander as the boiling water could cause a painful burn. Consider wearing long oven mitts to protect your wrists and arms while handling the pot.
If you’ve chosen to cook your peanuts in a crockpot, the slotted spoon might be the easiest method by which to remove your peanuts from the water.
Boiled peanuts do not have a long shelf-life and can’t be kept longer than about a week in a refrigerated, covered container without spoiling.
