Boiled peanuts
If you’re a redneck like me, odds are you’ve had these while tailgating or from a street vendor in the mountains. But our yankee friends probably haven’t had them. They’re tasty and easy to make. Most folks just do this with salt and water. I like to kick it up a little bit. Assemble ingredients:
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| From Home Life |
Green peanuts, unsalted
Chicken stock or bullion works
Beer
Kosher or sea salt
Creole seasoning
This is a small batch. Usually, over a campfire, do five pounds or so. But it’s hot out (105 currently), so I won’t be starting a fire. And I’m just cooking for the family.
Crack open a beer and have some if you want. Then get another and poor in a large pot. Add peanuts. Add about two cups of chicken stock then fill the pot half way with water. The nuts float so you can’t really cover them completely. Add 1/4 cup of salt and three or so tablespoons of Creole seasoning:
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| From Home Life |
Boil for three hours. Taste the stock mixture occasionally to see if you need to add salt or anything else. And add water or beer as needed. When done, let cool. You’re not eating the shells, though. Just crack open and enjoy.
Now, I must wait for three hours.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Love sucking the juice out of them.
July 25th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Hey, some of us yankees aren’t as provincial as you accuse us of being. I like the sound of this kicked up version, think I might make some myself.
July 25th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
I love goobers! The problem in yankeeland is you can’t find green peanuts.
July 25th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
This seems too much like work. Though I don’t believe I’ve ever had boiled peanuts. Are they anything like edamame? 🙂
July 25th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
texture is similar.
July 25th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Just pop in your mouth and 15 minutes later respiratory failure. Like magic.
July 25th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
You’re right, this Yankee doesn’t get it.
Peanuts need to be boiled? Can they carry infection? What’s wrong with raw peanuts?
July 25th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
I ain’t no Yankee.
And I hate boiled peanuts.
They are sort of like hot, salty snot and boogers inside a soaked, soggy, used-to-be-crunchy shell.
To be honest, I think most folks down here like the idea of boiled peanuts more than they like boiled peanuts themselves.
July 25th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
beer is a nice touch.
July 25th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
That Tony’s Creole is the shizzil. I put it on EVERYTHING.
July 25th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Had them cold out of a can once. Nothing to write home about. I’ll bet at the Organic High Price place they have raw peanuts, else they’re not available around here.
The biggest question I have is you say they have to be cold? I though the appeal was that they’re hot and fresh out of the cauldron from the little stand by the side of the road where they have been boiling for hours?
Maryland: the reason why they created the phrase, “the deep south”.
July 25th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
I discovered them the first time when I attended, Daytona Bike week. I never knew how good peanuts were until then. Hot from the large black pot, served by an elderly black man and his daughter. I told him I’d never had them before & he indulged me a small handful. I think I made up at least half of his profits for the weekend after that.
Further exposure to them was found as Sebring Int’l speedway for several events. Maybe thats why I go back again and again. (Or maybe the vintage cars or fast cars or just to get out of the house???) Thanks for the recipe. Now I must find green peanuts here in Southeast Florida. Do I have to get a black pot to do them in???
Roger
July 25th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
I had a 12 pack last nite with lots on peanuts and made my own it takes all nite this morning had to flush it down the toilet
July 25th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Being a cracker from South Georgia, I must admit to a purist point of view:
Goobers
Salt
Water
Nuttin else is needed.
July 26th, 2010 at 11:22 am
Right on time, Unc. I bought a bag and was fixin’ to look for recipes.
July 26th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
No. I like them warm. Just let them cool or it’s like putting a coal in your mouth.
July 26th, 2010 at 1:24 pm
My Florida cracker redneck buddy Baxter has these at his house – after eating the South Indian version (them Kerela Dra-vidians are damn backwater rednecks!) which are incredibly flaming spicy-HOT I found them to be quite mild and bland. 🙂
July 26th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Sorry, I agree with hillbilly. Can’t stand’em and I’m Texas born and bred.
July 26th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Oh OK, I re-read it. The three hours are to cook the goobers, not allow them to cool.
And I suppose the recipe works with Budweiser, and may not work correctly with that growler of craft-brewed Bacon-Stout IPA I picked up over the weekend.
I found the raw peanuts in the store in Maryland at Giant, but they’re not claiming to be the immature pods that W’pedia says are traditional. Then again, what else are they sold for?
July 26th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Any beer works, in my experience. Those green peanuts should be fine.
July 26th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
never mind again, I see the Sam Adams in the background there.
July 26th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
There’s a reason why this is traditionally done outdoors. My Dad used to boil them in the house frequently, making the whole house smell like mold and grave dirt. Yeah, I like ’em too, I just won’t be present indoors where they are being boiled.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
much better than out of a can, but still not very spicy, though I cooled off the first ladle of peanuts with some tap water.
I used a can of yuengling black and tan and bumped the tony’s up to a 1/4 cup. I also use one can of (low fat and low salt) chicken stock and the same coarse kosher salt you used. Then I cheated by pressure cooking the entire batch for only one hour.
It’s tough to type this because I keep stopping to snack on them.
The raw peanut package says, “as with many agricultural food products, it is recommended that raw peanuts be cooked before consumption”.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
You can add more seasoning for spicy. I some times add a bit of cayenne when the kids aren’t going to eat any.
And the pressure cooker is an excellent idea.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
I’m a “shout it from the rooftops” enthusiastic supporter of pressure cookers, but many people see them steam and hiss and worry that they are bombs ready to explode,
I can sterilize surgical tools, distill pure water, steam rice, bake meatloaf, cook a pot of beans without pre-soaking, and make stews, soups, and boiled peanuts in about a third of the normal time.
Hands down my most versatile kitchen tool ever.
You can get red pepper dirt cheap in a Koran grocery store, but the smallest package may be two pounds. Next time I’ll hit that. I have ample supplies left over from kimche making.